Pause, reflect and act
Work is an important part of life, and some level of pressure can be motivating and even energising. At times, however, pressures - whether from work, from outside work, or a combination of both - can build up and become difficult to manage.
Stress affects people in different ways. What feels manageable for one person may feel overwhelming for another, depending on experience, circumstances, health, or other factors in their life. The purpose of our approach to workplace stress is not to place blame or make assumptions, but to create space for early, open conversations about work-related factors that may be contributing to pressure, and to agree on practical steps that can help.
To support this, we have introduced two practical tools, based on the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Management Standards, which provide a consistent, structured way to understand workplace stressors and agree actions to reduce them.
Stress Management Tools
For all staff
This is an optional, l designed to help individuals reflect on what may be contributing to work-related stress.
What it’s for
- Supporting personal reflection on workplace stressors
- Helping individuals prepare for a conversation with their manager
- Giving structure to what can sometimes feel hard to articulate
How it works
- You complete the online form in your own time
- You can choose whether your responses are automatically shared with your manager
- Even if you don’t share your responses directly in the form, we strongly encourage you to raise stress-related concerns openly with your manager. If you do not feel comfortable speaking to your manager, please reach out to your People Partnering team.
This tool does not trigger any formal process on its own. Its purpose is to support reflection and enable more focused, productive conversations.
For managers and staff – completed together
This is the to be used when stress has been identified. It supports managers and staff in jointly exploring sources of stress and agreeing on practical actions to reduce or manage them.
When it should be used
Managers must complete this tool whenever:
- A member of staff raises that they are feeling stressed (in conversation, by email, during a check‑in, or via the Identify Your Work Stressors tool)
- There is an absence linked to stress or a mental health condition
- A manager observes signs that someone may be experiencing work‑related stress
How it works
- The assessment is completed together, in a supportive, problem‑solving conversation
- The focus is on work-related factors, while acknowledging external pressures and signposting to support where needed
- Practical, proportionate actions are agreed, along with review dates
- The staff member owns their personal copy of the plan
- The plan is not stored in the HR file
Regular review is essential, as stressors and circumstances can change over time.
For more support, read our Managers' Guidance - Workplace Stress Risk Assessment and Support Plan.