Why Workplace Stress Needs Attention
Workplace stress affects people, performance, and culture — and it’s more than just a “nice to have” issue. At Safety360, we believe that caring for mental wellbeing should sit alongside health & safety, not separate from it. In this post we’ll explore the scale of stress in UK workplaces, introduce the new British Standard for suicide awareness (BS 30480), and share practical steps your organisation can take today.
The Scale of the Problem
776,000 workers in Great Britain recently experienced work-related stress, anxiety or depression; stress-related issues now account for a large share of all work-related ill health.
In total, 1.7 million people reported some form of work-related ill health in 2023/24.
Stress, anxiety and depression were connected to about 16.4 million lost working days in that year.
These aren’t just statistics — each one reflects people under pressure, teams struggling with capacity, and opportunity cost for your business.
Why It’s Important
Legal & Ethical Responsibility: Employers have a duty under UK health and safety law to guard against psychological risks as well as physical ones.
Business Impact: Lost days, presenteeism (people working while unwell), and lowered morale all reduce productivity and innovation.
Culture & Trust: Organisations that take stress seriously tend to build safer, more engaged workplaces. That helps with retention, reputation and resilience.
BS 30480: Suicide Awareness in the Workplace
A recent development that deserves attention is BS 30480:2025 — the UK’s first British Standard focused on suicide risk, response and support at work. The guide is free to download from BSIGroup.com
It gives practical, evidence-based guidance for — supporting someone before, during, or after suicidal thoughts or attempts.
Designed to be usable by all types of organisations, of any size.
Aligning with BS 30480 shows you’re committed not just to wellbeing, but to industry-best practice.
By incorporating BS 30480 into your wellbeing policy, you help create an environment where people feel safer discussing mental health, and where managers are equipped to respond appropriately.
Practical Steps Your Organisation Can Take
Here are some ways you can turn awareness into action:
Conduct a Stress Risk Assessment
Map where pressure is highest in your team — workload peaks, change periods, unclear roles — then identify where adjustments are needed.Review & Adopt BS 30480 Guidance
Download the standard, review its suggestions for suicide-aware support and response planning, and incorporate relevant sections into your policies.Train Managers & Leaders
Equip leaders with the confidence to have sensitive conversations, spot warning signs and refer to appropriate support.Make Support Pathways Visible
Ensure employees know how to access help — whether through HR, a wellbeing provider, or via your Mental Health First Aid training.Monitor & Report
Use internal statistics such as absence rates, staff satisfaction surveys, and feedback on mental health or stress issues to measure progress.Communicate Openly
Share your commitment to mental health, highlight policies, reference BS 30480 in your internal comms, and normalise accessing support.
HSE’s Working Minds campaign makes it even easier for employers to take action. It contains lots of free resources including e-learning. The campaign is based on the 5 R’s:
Reach out - start the conversation
Recognise - spot the signs and causes of stress
Respond - agree actions and make changes
Reflect - review what’s working and what isn’t
Routine - embed wellbeing into everyday practices
How Safety360 Can Support You
At Safety360, we provide bespoke health-and-safety consultancy, training and audits, including Mental Health First Aid and workplace wellbeing support. (Safety360)
Whether you want to build a stress-aware strategy, train your managers, or embed suicide-aware best practice via BS 30480 — we can help you put the pieces in place.
Ready to take action? Contact Safety360 today to discuss a mental-health risk assessment, manager training programme or suicide-aware policy upgrade. Let’s build a safer, more resilient workplace together.
Email: hello@safety360.uk
Phone: 01462 892021