Rehumanising the Workplace
This week, 2-6 November 2026, marks International Stress Awareness Week, with International Stress Awareness Day taking place on 4 November. The theme for 2026 is "Shaping the Future of Stress and Wellbeing: Rehumanising the Workplace."
For trade unions, this theme could not be more relevant. Across public services, workers continue to face increasing workloads, staffing shortages, workplace pressures, and rising demands. Stress is not simply an individual issue. It is often a workplace issue that requires workplace solutions.
Why stress matters
According to the International Stress Management Association (ISMA UK):
- 74% of people report feeling overwhelmed by stress levels in their lives.
- 61% experience anxiety as a result of stress.
- 32% report experiencing suicidal thoughts linked to stress.
Common causes of stress include:
- Pressure to succeed
- Self-image concerns
- Health issues
- Body image concerns
- Housing pressures
- Work-related pressures
- Debt and financial worries
While stress can affect anyone, employers have a legal and moral responsibility to ensure that work itself does not damage workers' health and wellbeing.
Stress is a workplace health and safety issue
Mental wellbeing must be treated with the same seriousness as physical wellbeing.
The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) states that employers have a duty to assess and manage the risks of work-related stress and take steps to prevent harm arising from workplace activities.
Work-related stress is not a personal failing, nor is it something that can be solved by resilience training alone. The causes often lie in excessive workloads, lack of staffing, poor management practices, inadequate support, workplace conflict, and poorly managed organisational change.
What can NIPSA branches do?
Branch committees and health and safety representatives play a vital role in identifying and tackling workplace stress.
Demand workplace stress risk assessments
Where members report excessive workloads, understaffing, bullying, or workplace pressures, branches should press employers to carry out comprehensive stress risk assessments.
Employers have legal obligations under health and safety legislation to identify and manage psychological risks in the workplace, just as they would any physical hazard.
Focus on the causes, not the symptoms
Branches should encourage employers to use the HSENI Stress Management Standards, which examine:
- Demands
- Control
- Support
- Relationships
- Role
- Change
This approach focuses on addressing the root causes of work-related stress rather than placing responsibility solely on individual workers.
Gather evidence
Evidence is critical when challenging workplace stress.
Branches can:
- Conduct anonymous stress surveys among members.
- Record reports of excessive workloads.
- Monitor staff shortages and vacancy levels.
- Track long-term sickness absence linked to workplace pressures.
- Highlight patterns of unpaid overtime and excessive flexi balances.
Clear evidence makes it harder for employers to ignore concerns.
Raise issues formally
Stress, workload pressures, bullying, and staffing shortages should be raised through established consultation and negotiation structures, including Joint Consultative and Negotiating Committees.
Health and Safety Representatives should also exercise their rights to:
- Inspect workplaces.
- Investigate concerns raised by members.
- Request relevant health and safety information.
- Challenge unsafe working practices.
Seek support from NIPSA
Where problems cannot be resolved locally, branches should contact their NIPSA Official or Seconded Officer for advice, support, and assistance in negotiations with employers.
What can individual members do?
Protect your work-life balance
Workers should not feel pressured to be available around the clock.
Consider:
- Avoiding routine checking of work emails outside contracted hours.
- Not taking work calls during personal time unless required.
- Maintaining clear boundaries between work and home life.
Take your breaks
Rest breaks are an important health and safety measure.
Skipping lunch breaks or working through rest periods can increase stress, fatigue, and burnout.
Record the hours you work
If you are regularly working beyond your contracted hours, keep a record.
Accurate records help demonstrate when workload pressures are becoming unsustainable and may provide valuable evidence if concerns need to be raised collectively.
Speak to your NIPSA representative
If you are experiencing:
- Excessive workloads
- Bullying or harassment
- Workplace conflict
- Stress-related ill health
- Micromanagement
- Unrealistic performance expectations
Speak with your local NIPSA representative as early as possible.
Early intervention can prevent problems escalating and ensure support is available when needed.
Raise concerns collectively
Often, workplace stress affects entire teams rather than individual workers.
Where possible, members should work together to raise concerns collectively. A collective voice is often more difficult for employers to dismiss than isolated individual complaints.
Become a NIPSA Health and Safety Representative
Health and Safety Representatives play a vital role in protecting workers and improving working conditions.
If you are interested in becoming a NIPSA Safety Representative, contact your local branch or NIPSA official for more information.
If you need support
If stress is affecting your wellbeing, support is available.
Lifeline
If you are in crisis or experiencing severe distress, contact Lifeline on:
0808 808 8000
Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs)
Many employers provide confidential counselling and support services through Employee Assistance Programmes. Check what support is available within your organisation.
Speak to your GP
If stress is affecting your physical or mental health, seek medical advice from your GP.
Request a stress risk assessment
If work is affecting your wellbeing, you can ask your manager to undertake an individual stress risk assessment. Your local NIPSA representative can assist and support you throughout this process.
Useful resources
NIPSA members and representatives may find the following resources helpful (pdf downloads or links to external sites):
NIPSA Resources
- The Perfect Storm: Stress at Work
- NIPSA Health and Safety Representatives' Essential Toolkit
- A Guide to Dignity at Work
External Resources
- Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI)
- HSENI Stress at Work Poster (Download for your notice board)
- International Stress Management Association (ISMA UK)
- Mental Health Foundation
- Mental Health UK
- Aware NI
- Mates in Mind
- Mind Your Head
- Safeguarding Board Northern Ireland (SBNI)
- Education Authority Health Well Hub
Learning and Awareness Events
A number of free learning opportunities are available during Stress Awareness Week, including:
- Understanding Your Own Trauma – Safeguarding Board NI
- Compassionate Conversations – Education Authority Health and Wellbeing Team
- Online Mindfulness Sessions – Libraries NI
NIPSA's message
Stress is not an individual weakness. It is often a warning sign that workplace pressures have become unsustainable.
This International Stress Awareness Week, NIPSA is encouraging members, representatives and employers to work together to identify the causes of workplace stress, address underlying issues, and create healthier, safer and more supportive workplaces for everyone.