Business Mentality

A total of 12.8 million working days were lost to stress, depression and anxiety in 2004/5 and work based stress cost UK business an estimated £3.7 billion a year. Developing a working environment that promotes good mental health and encouraging supportive and responsive management practices is a core part of sustainable employment practices.

Whilst stress itself is not covered by the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), work-related stress is a leading occupational health problem in the UK. As stress related absence becomes more and more common, organisations need to understand what stress means and how to prevent and manage it in the workplace.

We will be asking questions such as:

• What is stress and whose responsibility is it?
• What are the impacts of long term stress and mental ill-health?
• Is work related stress a health and safety issue?
• How can you minimise stress related absence and ensure that you are an employer of choice?

This event enables you to:

• Understand stress and how it links to disability, including the impact of long term stress and mental ill-health.
• Understand the legal obligations as an employer and how the law relates to employees who suffer from stress.
• Learn what reasonable adjustments can be put in place for employees, to create a healthier work environment.
• Reduce stress related absence and use policies and procedures to help you to prevent staff from going off work with stress.
• Learn from organisations that have adopted best practice policies and procedures in managing stress in the workplace.

Who should attend?

HR and personnel managers, occupational health professionals, health and safety managers and disability or diversity practitioners.

Case studies

Learn from the experience of other organisations and their work around managing stress in the workplace.

Group work

Work in small groups to discuss and find solutions to the key issues. Question your colleagues and learn how to get this right for your own organisation.

Expert opinion

Speakers confirmed at the time of going to press include

Phil Friend - Director, Minty & Friend

Bela Gor - Head of Policy and Information, EFD

Professor Michael O'Donnell - Chief Medical Officer, Unum

Susan Scott Parker - Chief Executive, EFD

Mike Wagland - Human Resources, BT Global Services, BT

Steve Walter - Health and Safety Adviser, EEF

Your questions answered

A specialised team will be on hand to answer any queries you might have around managing stress in the workplace, as well as any other questions you may have on disability. A dedicated desk will be set up for you to visit them during the conference.

Thi event is organised by Employers Forum on Disability. Click here for more details about the event.