The HSE has announced that its spot checks will now include questions on how businesses address work-related stress. It advises that mental health should be just as important as physical health in the workplace – risks to both must be equally considered.

The pandemic has had a significant impact on many people’s mental health, who continue to report very high levels of stress, anxiety and depression. This means it’s important that you look after your workers’ mental health and wellbeing.

The HSE has produced guidance on talking to your employees about preventing the transmission of Coronavirus, which includes managing stress and wellbeing and providing support. It advises:

• Have regular keep-in-touch meetings or calls with your workers.
• Talk openly with workers about the possibility of them becoming stressed or mentally unwell. HSE’s talking toolkit on preventing work-related stress will help you have conversations about raising worries or who people can go to for help.
• Involve workers in completing stress risk assessments so they can help identify potential problems and solutions.
• Keep workers updated on what is happening so they feel involved and reassured.
• Talk to people about fatigue. Make sure they take regular breaks and encourage them to take leave – set working times to make sure people aren’t working too long.
• Share information and advice about mental health and wellbeing with your workers.
• Consider an occupational health referral if someone starts to show signs of stress or anxiety so they can talk through ways you can support them.
• If you have an employee assistance programme, encourage your workers to use it to talk through their issues in complete confidence.

The full guidance can be found here.

IOSH Managing Occupational Health and Wellbeing, brought to you by International Workplace, is suitable for managers and supervisors working in any sector and for any organisation. It's designed to provide them with the tools and techniques to improve health and wellbeing in the organisation.

The course includes information on:

• Managing health risks effectively.
• Understanding your own responsibilities.
• Managing fluctuations in people's health status and assessing their fitness for work.
• Measuring your own performance as a manager.
• Learning how to help co-workers return to work after illness.
• Discovering how to recognise a 'well' employee.
• Reflecting on good practice, both personally and organisation-wide.