The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is urging employers to focus on work-related stress.
The call is timed to coincide with National Stress Awareness day.
A recent CIPD survey found that stress-related absence is continuing to rise with nearly 40% of employers reporting an increase.
This is a costly problem for employers, with CIPD research revealing that the average cost of absence per year is now £601 per employee.
Ben Willmott, employee relations adviser at the CIPD, said: “Managing workplace stress is a growing challenge for employers. Stress has implications in the workplace both in terms of employee wellbeing and business effectiveness.
“It is important that employers take the problem seriously – a written policy can ensure workplace stress is managed consistently across the organisation and also show that the issue is seen as a priority.”
