International Stress Awareness Week 2022
What is it?
International Stress Awareness Week 2022 takes place from Monday 7 November to Friday 11 November. It is a major annual event focusing on stress management and campaigning against the stigma associated with stress and mental health issues.
It was created by the International Stress Management Association (ISMA) in 2018 to raise awareness about stress prevention. The highlight of the week is Stress Awareness Day, which takes place this year on Wednesday 9 November and features the Online Global Stress and Wellbeing Summit.
The theme this year is Working Together to Build Resilience and Reduce Stress. Some of the key questions the organisers are seeking to answer are:
- How we can all help people who face mental health challenges
- How employers are responding to stress and mental health issues
- How stress management professionals can help to alleviate stress
- How workplace changes such as hybrid working are affecting wellbeing and levels of resilience
- How those suffering with stress and mental health issues can access advice and support
Why is it important?
Did you know stress, depression and anxiety are responsible for almost half of work-related illness reports? According to the British Health and Safety Executive (HSE), of the 1.7 million workers suffering from a work-related illness in 2020-21, 822,000 were down to stress, depression or anxiety.
The law requires all employers to prevent work related stress and support good mental health at work.
What is IOSH doing?
IOSH is a partner for HSE’s Working Minds campaign, which brings together a range of tools and support to help businesses and workers understand the best ways to prevent work related stress and encourage good mental health.
With the HSE, we are inviting businesses and organisations to support the campaign and become Working Minds champions.
What else is happening?
The Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) is promoting its Stress at Work Toolkit, which contains advice, assets and resources around managing stress. It is also releasing a podcast featuring their Head of Mental Health and Wellbeing, Francoise Woolley, and HSE Policy Lead for work-related stress and mental health, Rob McGreal, talking about identifying the causes of work-related stress and supporting mental health and wellbeing at work. This will be available here from Wednesday 9 November.
What can you do?
You can find out more about Working Minds by visiting the campaign website here.
The HSE is also running its free digital Health and Work Conference next week, on Tuesday 15 November, which aims to promote better prevention, management and control of the common risks and causes of occupational ill-health across Great Britain. You can find out more here.
In addition, you can find out more about International Stress Awareness Week and the summit here.
