Lack of adequate stress support

Research by Legal & General using Department for Work and Pensions statistics and reports has revealed that less than a fifth of employers are taking adequate steps to provide support for stressed employees, despite stress being a leading cause of workplace absences. The new DWP Survey, 'Health and well-being at work: a survey of employers' shows only 17% of employers have any form of stress management advice in place.

Legal & General has previously looked into short and long term absences in the workplace, finding that short-term stress-related absences topped 42,000 in the three months to December last year; and of the 593,930 people claiming the Employment and Support Allowance, 234,670 (39%) are doing so for mental and behavioural disorders. Commenting on the findings, Diane Buckley, MD of Legal & General Group Income Protection, said: "It is concerning that 83% of employers have no provisions in place to deal with stress related illnesses. Legal & General have developed an effective Group Income Protection package that offers tailored support to absentees, many of whom are suffering from stress-related conditions."