A leading business pressure group has welcomed a European Union framework agreement that means stress in the workplace will remain an issue for existing UK health and safety laws.
An estimated 6.5 million working days are lost through stress, with a cost of £3.7 billion a year to the UK economy.
In response the Forum of Private Business is keen to underline its commitment to reducing work related stress.
Existing health and safety regulations are already set up to address the issue of stress within the UK workplace and as such it was agreed that an EU directive should not be imposed.
FPB Chief Executive, Nick Goulding, said, “Stress is adequately covered by existing health and safety legislation in the UK. For this reason we are pleased that it was agreed not to impose an EU directive on stress which would have meant additional rules and regulations for small business owners.
“What is needed is guidance and advice for businesses and their employees how to combat stress, not more red tape.”
It is hoped that newly introduced regulations such as the Working Time directive of 48 hours per week as well as proposals to increase maternity leave will do much to reduce absenteeism due to stress.
Goulding said, “With better communication between employers and employees we hope to work with businesses in the coming years to put procedures in place to reduce the cost of stress to UK companies.”
