Vero Liability

Workplace stress can affect all workplaces and all workers – from farm to office. It can result in lost productivity, increased absenteeism, and a greater risk of accidents and injury. It can also seriously affect the physical and emotional health of workers.

Stress, depression or anxiety accounted for the more than half of working days lost due to work-related ill health in the UK in 2019/20. Out of the 32.5 million days workers took off work for ill health, 17.9 million days were due to mental health related reasons.

In New Zealand, research by Farmstrong and ACC found that of 500 farmers contacted after a physical injury at work, 58% reported that “diminished wellbeing” was a contributor to their injury and 24% reported it was a major contributor. As the research report noted, farmers deal with injury risks all the time, but diminished wellbeing results in farmers doing something they wouldn’t normally do or failing to avoid a risky situation that they would normally have successfully avoided.

The aspects of diminished wellbeing that were most frequently mentioned were having too much to do and not enough time (11%), feeling fatigued or exhausted (8%), lack of sleep or poor quality sleep (6%) and the challenges of coping with the ups and downs of farming (5%).

WorkSafe describes a number of control measures that PCBUs can take to minimise the likelihood of work-related stress resulting in harm. These include:

  • Setting achievable demands for workers in relation to agreed hours of work

  • Matching a worker’s skills and abilities to job demands

  • Supporting workers to have a level of control over their pace of work

  • Involving workers in decisions that may impact their health and safety, and having processes to enable workers to raise issues and concerns they might have

  • Ensuring managers and supervisors have the capability and knowledge to identify, understand and support workers who may be feeling stressed

  • Having agreed policies and procedures to prevent or resolve unacceptable behaviour.

Some PCBUs may also be in a position to provide workers with access to independent counselling services.

There is a wealth of information about how to manage workplace stress. Employment New Zealand has information with an employment relations focus. The UK Health and Safety Executive has extensive guidance, toolboxes and programmes about managing stress from a health and safety perspective.

Source: Vero Liability