What is stress leave?
Stress leave is not a leave entitlement provided under the National Employment Standards in its own right, but is a colloquial term used when an employee takes time off of work to address feelings of stress.
Stressed employees can access their personal or sick leave entitlements to take stress leave, as long as they adhere to their company’s policy and obtain a sick certificate when required. Some employees may refer to stress leave as a ‘mental health day’. Employees may also use annual leave or apply for unpaid leave to take stress leave, particularly if they want to take an extended period off without obtaining a sick certificate or if they do not have enough sick leave accrued to meet their needs.
In more serious cases of stress and stress-induced illness, when an employee is found to be suffering from a work-related psychological injury, they may be able to take a significant amount of time away from work through a workers’ compensation claim.
What causes stress in the workplace?
Stress at work can be caused by several factors. A demanding client, overwhelming workload, or tasks that push an employee to their limit may seem like unavoidable causes of stress that are outside an employer’s control. Avoidable causes may be seen as problems such as bullying or harassment in the workplace, for which employers can more readily take action to respond to or prevent. Regardless of the type of stressor, it is important to address it to meet your obligations to provide a safe workplace.
It is also important not to let your personal views influence whether you think an employee is or should be suffering from stress or if a situation is stressful. Symptoms of stress ca be physical, such as headache and fatigue, but are not always obvious, such as having trouble making decisions or heightened emotions. People also respond to different stress triggers, and situations that may seem minor could have built up over time.
How to tackle work stress
Regardless of whether you want to address the cause of the stress immediately or act to prevent the need for stress leave to be taken in future, there are many ways you can support your employees to alleviate stress.
Wellbeing activities
Employers can provide their staff with a range of wellbeing activities and tools to help them reduce and prevent stress. For example, providing subsidised or free gym memberships helps employees stay both physically and mentally fit. Some employers provide in-office yoga or massage services to help their employees relax during their work day. Adding plants to the workplace can also create a calming environment.
Additionally, providing access to counselling services can help employees prevent stress or avoid taking stress leave. They can privately and independently discuss their stresses with a counsellor when required, and receive support and advice on coping strategies to respond to stress.
Psychologically safe work environments
One of the best ways to prevent stress among your workforce is to provide a psychologically safe work environment. This means that employees can feel comfortable rather than anxious about addressing concerns with colleagues and managers, knowing they will be listened to and understood. A psychologically safe work environment also ensures employees do not fear being at work or being around their colleagues or customers. So, it’s important to have clear policies around bullying and harassment, and to take prompt, appropriate action if any issues arise.
A work environment that consistently values and promotes work/life balance can help reduce stress for employees, as they feel supported to be able to take a break from work or respond to their life pressures when required.
What to do when an employee takes stress leave
If an employee does need to take stress leave, treat stress the same as any other type of physical or mental illness. Approving their leave request without question is a good start to give them the time and space they require. However, you are entitled to request documentation, such as a sick certificate, if it is required by the company’s sick leave policy.
Avoid being a further cause of stress
Expectations or demands from employers can cause stress for employees, so it is important to avoid putting pressure on them while they are on stress leave. This may include contacting the employee while they are on leave and asking them questions, even if it may seem minor, such as asking where something is kept in the office. It also includes asking the employee when they plan to be back at work.
That is not to say that employees cannot be contacted at all. Inquiring into the employee’s health and offering support to help them through their difficult time is not only a way that you can help your employee and help them to feel valued, but a method of gaining an update. For example, by asking what support they might need to recover, the employee may voluntarily share their expected return date, such as Monday morning.
Access WorkCover insurance
If an employee needs to take an extended leave due to a workers’ compensation claim, WorkCover insurance may be able to help employers. Most businesses that employ workers are required to pay WorkCover insurance, which covers certain employer costs if their workers are injured or become ill because of their work. Some of these costs may include the replacement of lost income when the employee is absent or lump sum compensation in the event of a serious injury occurring.
Comply with dismissal laws
Businesses are not able to dismiss an employee who has suffered a workplace injury in the first six months of them being unable to return to work under state and territory workers compensation laws. Other laws also apply when an employee takes a significant amount of sick leave. If you need to move them on to be able to run your business effectively, it may be best to seek employment legal advice before dismissing them to ensure you are not breaching any workplace laws.
Assist with a return to work
Some employees may want to return to work more quickly but at a reduced working capacity or reduced hours, so accommodating these circumstances helps showcase your understanding and willingness to help them recover.
Addressing the cause of the stress will also be important for many employees. Outline a strategy and stick to it. For example, an employee who was stressed by a heavy workload may require an assistant or may simply benefit from being empowered to leave the office on time each day without worrying about having to complete their work tasks that day.
Stress is an issue that employers need to take seriously, and what stress leave is for each employee may be different. However, by reducing stress in the workplace in the first place, employers will go a long way to tackling the health issue and prevent the need for stress leave to be taken.
Read more: Why it’s important to promote OH&S
