Stress risk assessment: evaluating intangible hazards

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), stress is defined as “the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them at work.” While manageable levels of pressure can serve as positive motivators, excessive or prolonged stress can significantly harm employee wellbeing and performance. It’s important to recognise that stress affects individuals differently and can vary even within the same person over time.

Stress doesn’t just impact employees—it disrupts teams, reduces productivity, and increases both absenteeism and accident rates. For these reasons, it’s essential that employers proactively manage stress in the workplace. One of the most effective ways to do this is by conducting a stress risk assessment.

A stress risk assessment helps organisations identify, communicate, and manage stress-related risks effectively. Using a structured risk assessment template is a simple yet powerful tool for recording findings, developing action plans, implementing preventive measures, and continuous improvement.

A stress risk assessment typically consists of hazards, risks, and controls. Each element plays a crucial role in evaluating and mitigating the impact of stress on employees.

The first step in the HSE’s five-step risk assessment process is to identify potential hazards—factors that could cause harm. While many workplace hazards are visible, stress triggers are often intangible. Identifying them requires meaningful engagement with employees, line managers, and HR teams.

HSE identifies six core areas that can contribute to work-related stress if not managed effectively:

1. Demands – workload, work patterns, and the work environment
2. Role – clarity and understanding of job responsibilities
3. Control – how much autonomy individuals have in how they work
4. Relationships – workplace dynamics, bullying, or conflict
5. Change – how organisational change is managed and communicated
6. Support – the availability of guidance, training, and resources

These psychosocial hazards should be carefully assessed and addressed to safeguard employee wellbeing.

A risk is the likelihood of harm occurring, combined with the severity of its potential consequences. To manage stress effectively, employers must assess how each identified hazard may impact employees.

Risk evaluation should consider:

• Job factors – the nature and demands of the work
• Individual factors – personal resilience, experience, and skills
• Organisational factors – policies, culture, and support structures

Using a risk matrix can help visualise and prioritise risks by scoring each hazard based on the likelihood and severity of the harm. This informs decision-making and helps determine the appropriate level of intervention.

The assigned risk rating will guide the level of control necessary to mitigate the identified risk. Existing control measures should be reviewed and, where necessary, adjusted to enhance their effectiveness. In some cases, additional controls may be required to minimise the potential for harm.

Once risks are evaluated, control measures must be introduced to reduce them. Controls can range from organisational changes to individual support initiatives. The hierarchy of controls is a useful framework to determine the most effective strategies:

1. Elimination – remove the hazard entirely (where feasible)
2. Substitution – replace the hazard with a less stressful alternative
3. Engineering controls – redesign processes or environments
4. Administrative controls – implement policies, procedures, and training
5. Personal protective measures – focus on individual coping mechanisms (least effective)

After implementing controls, reassess the risk levels to ensure they have been effectively reduced. It's essential to document why certain controls were chosen and how they mitigate the risk.

Employers are legally required to protect their staff from work-related stress by assessing the risk and taking reasonable steps to reduce it. While a written assessment may not always be mandated, it is strongly recommended to demonstrate due diligence and create a record of actions taken.

Stress risk assessments should be treated with the same level of importance as any other health and safety concern. They must also be reviewed regularly—especially when significant organisational changes occur or following an incident or a case of stress-related ill health.

Proactively managing stress in the workplace is more than a legal responsibility—it’s a vital component of a healthy, productive, and resilient workforce. By conducting regular stress risk assessments and acting on the findings, organisations can create supportive work environments where employees thrive.

Prioritise employee health and wellbeing this Stress Awareness Month

Use code STRESS25 at checkout before 1 May and receive a FREE* license for Manage the Conversation with purchases of our Certificate in Stress Risk Assessment.

*Both courses must be added to your basket for the offer to apply