Health and Safety Executive targets workplace stress: are organisations ready?

Emma Gross, employment law partner at Spencer West, has written for Employee Benefits on the Health and Safety Executive’s growing focus on work-related stress and what employers need to do now.

The article considers the HSE’s formal notice of contravention issued to the University of Birmingham in December 2025, which found material breaches of health and safety law relating to the management of work-related stress.

Emma explains why the case should act as a warning to employers across all sectors. In particular, she highlights the importance of practical, team-based stress risk assessments, effective implementation of policies, meaningful employee engagement, and regular monitoring to ensure controls are working in practice.

With the regulator carrying out more targeted inspections and spot checks, employers should not treat stress management as a paper exercise or a secondary HR issue. The HSE expects organisations to identify real workplace pressures, take action, and demonstrate accountability.

Read Emma’s full article in Employee Benefits for more on the steps employers should be taking to manage work-related stress effectively: HSE turns up the heat on workplace stress: are organisations ready?