UK employees on verge of ‘health and safety crisis’ due to work-related stress

New campaign comes after 17 million working days were lost last year because of work-related stress, anxiety or depression, Kate Ng reports

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Workplaces in Britain need to undergo a “culture change” if they want to avoid a “health and safety crisis” among employees, a campaign has warned.

The initiative, launched by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), said that mental health issues are now the main reason given for sick days, with more than 17 million working days lost last year due to stress, anxiety or depression.

The regulator said its new campaign aims to help businesses recognise the signs of work-related stress, and is calling on workplaces across the UK to ensure psychological risks are treated the same as physical ones.