Mental health and stress

At Solihull Chamber we hold networking events throughout the year which give us the opportunity to chat to our neighbouring businesses and receive feedback on issues that are worrying them.  Mental health is currently a big discussion. 

According to the Health and Safety Executive, a staggering 49 per cent of sick days and two fifths of work-related ill health in 2016/17 was caused by work-related stress, depression or anxiety.  As this amounts to 12.5 million lost work days, it’s hardly surprising that it is a top agenda item for business.

Being stressed over long periods of time can lower your immune system and cause health problems. But the H&SE say there are plenty of ways to reduce your stress levels, firstly by keeping an eye out for the warning signs and then identifying the cause.

For all of us, whether employers or employees we should learn to be kind to ourselves and definitely schedule in some ‘me’ time each week.