Prevention

Preventative approaches for work-related stress refer to those where action is taken to identify and address stressors and therefore aim to prevent stress from occurring in the first place. Prevention is the strategy increasingly preferred by experts and organizations and the arguments for adopting a preventative approach are compelling: there is sufficient evidence to advise employers which factors in the workplace may cause stress and, therefore, which ones to look out for; stress when it does occur is very costly; and Health and Safety legislation requires all organizations to assess all risks to health, including those posed by stress at work.

A preventative approach to work stress involves four key elements (see Figure 3.1):