One in four HR Execs have no formal policy to manage stress

More than one in four (28%) HR directors admit that they have no formal process in place to deal with stress and anxiety for employees, according to a recent survey by OfficeTeam.

The study surveyed 200 HR directors across the UK, with the results segmented by size, sector and geographic location. Formal policies for employee stress could include processes for reporting anxiety, training programmes to teach resilience, or access to professional counsellors as part of private medical health schemes.

200 UK HR directors were asked, What policies have you implemented to help employees deal with stress and anxiety?’ Their responses were as follows:

* Stress management training for all employees: 33%.
* Access to counselling services through private medical insurance: 32%.
* Individual programmes as needed: 31%.
* No formal policy: 28%.
* Formal policy for senior management only: 7%.
* Don’t know: 3%.

Employees in the private sector appear to be most at risk of being overlooked, with one in three (33%) HR directors revealing that they are without a formal stress and anxiety policy. However, this figure falls to 28% for publicly listed companies, and 20% for the public sector, states HR Review.

12th September 2012