There are a number of steps SMEs can take to help identify and combat stress in the workplace, one expert says.
Steve Williams, head of equality at Acas, said that even basic things such as ensuring staff were properly trained could help people feel less stressed.
He said: "Lack of training perhaps makes [employees] slower and therefore under more pressure and stressed because they're not making deadline, or [because] they're making mistakes."
Mr Williams also said that stress could be reduced if managers made themselves approachable. This, he said, would mean staff would feel able to admit their shortcomings and this would help resolve any problems.
Setting targets in line with an individual's abilities, using the same goals for everyone, could also reduce stress, he said.
According to research by the Samaritans, 13 million working days were lost to stress, depression and anxiety in 2005. It said that this cost firms a total of £3.7 billion.
