Employers are being called upon to manage pressure placed on staff to mark Stress Down Day today.

Lisa Fowlie, the President of Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) said that too many employers did not understand the benefits they can gain from preventing workplace stress, and the price that their staff pay if they fail to do so.

“Challenge is a key ingredient for any healthy workplace because meeting a challenge helps people feel relaxed and satisfied. Challenge is a good thing, but it does bring with it pressure,” she said. “When pressure becomes excessive or harmful, it can lead to stress, which is a person’s reaction to their circumstances.”

Fowlie added that employers can reduce pressure at work relatively easily: “Minor adjustments are often enough. Ensuring staff have a sympathetic ear, allowing more flexible working hours and adopting family friendly policies helps everyone, especially parents and those with care responsibilities.”

The call for more flexible working opportunities was echoed by Workwise UK, the campaign for smarter working practices, which is supporting the Stress Down Day event.

Phil Flaxton, Work Wise UK’s, chief executive said flexible working could cut stress. “Workers in the UK commute on average 47 working days per year. This is almost an extra working day per week. Smarter working can reduce the stress of commuting by reducing the number of journeys, through for example working from home, while flexible working allows people to stagger their travel outside peak periods.” Chambers of Commerce, is a five-year campaign to encourage smarter working practices. It was launched in May 2006 with the objective of half the working population having the opportunity of adopting working practices by 2011.