5 November 2009: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has advised employers to do more to tackle the effects of stress in the workplace.

The cost of work-related mental illness is reported to be £28bn per year – a quarter of the UK’s total sick bill. Nice advised that there are a number of simple steps that organisations can take to prevent stress levels increasing. Part of the problem, they said, lay with the relationship between line managers and direct reports.

Globis MD, Clive Lewis said “Poor working relationships can have a negative impact on productivity and can cause employees to regularly call in sick. Giving feedback, praise, setting objectives and reviewing performance can all help to manage the stress levels faced by today’s workers. Globis has been working hard to help organisations understand more about building better relationships and managing stress in the workplace”.

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development recently produced a survey which revealed that a quarter of UK workers describe their mental health as moderate or poor, yet nearly all continued to work regularly.

Dame Carol Black, the government national director for health, who produced a report calling on employers to take more of an interest in the health of their workforce, welcomed the recommendations.

The Confederation of British Industry said that many organisations have set up staff support schemes in recent years.

To view a clip from Professor Mike Kelly, director for Public Helath, NICE please click here.