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<p>The Department recognises its legal duty to protect the health, safety and welfare
of our employees; this includes identifying and reducing workplace stressors. Our
approach is a holistic one that utilises the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Management
Standards for work related stress and follows key principles to help identify and
reduce work place stressors.</p><p> </p><p>2,473 employees took sick leave for reasons
relating to stress in the last 12 months which represents 3% of our paid staff. As
a percentage, such absences equated to 10.7% of all Working Days Lost due to sickness
absence. However, as the Department continues to pay salaries during sickness absence
there is no direct financial cost.</p><p> </p><p>Our approach to absence is fair but
robust with the emphasis on health promotion and absence prevention. The Department
has a range of support from mental health toolkits, stress reduction plans plus tailored
support for people who do go off sick or need support through our Employee Assistance
Programme which includes counselling.</p><p> </p><p>The Department has 965 Mental
Health First Aiders, who provide acute, short-term and structured support to individuals,
provide reassurance and signpost colleagues to both DWP and external sources of support
as appropriate. Mental Health First Aiders are also provided with continuous professional
development and support for their own mental wellbeing.</p>
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