HSE Press Office: Putting the record straight

Daily Telegraph

To the Editor

Your leader, 3 May, claims that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) believes it can tackle work-related stress by imposing rules on employers. This is not the case.

We are helping employers to prevent excessive stress and get the best out of their staff. Our approach has been developed with input from British business to help managers gauge stress levels and identify any action they should take.

Let's be clear: stress does exist and it is a real problem. We are not talking about the reasonable pressure which is part and parcel of all work and which helps to keep us motivated. We are talking about the kind of excessive and unhelpful pressure that undermines performance; the kind that can make people ill.

Jane Willis
Policy Director, HSE