Managing Stress in Schools: Turning Awareness into Action

Recognising stress is important, but effective stress management must be embedded within every school’s operational and people management practices.

As a longstanding stress risk assessor, one of the most common issues observed is the delay in recognising symptoms or being aware of them but lacking strategies to address the causes. Stress can have a profound impact not only on staff but also on their families, so it is vital that schools take formal, proactive steps to understand what stress is and how to control it.

Like any other hazard with the potential to cause significant harm, stress requires the same level of focus, awareness, and control measures to ensure it is effectively managed.

Taking Action to Manage Stress

Preventing stress should form part of everyday management practice. Those with responsibility for staff must take reasonable measures to:

•  Manage the potential for stress within the workplace.
• Support any colleague who is diagnosed with stress or a stress-related condition.

Stress is a reasonably foreseeable hazard and should therefore be subject to a suitable and sufficient risk assessment. It is good practice to base any stress risk assessment on the HSE Management Standards – six key areas that, if not properly managed, are associated with stress:

• Demands: workload, work patterns, and work environment.
• Control: how much influence a person has over the way they work.
• Support: the encouragement, sponsorship, and resources provided by the organisation, line management, and colleagues.
• Relationships: promoting positive working practices, avoiding conflict, and addressing unacceptable behaviour.
• Role: ensuring clarity of role and avoiding conflicting responsibilities.
• Change: how organisational change (large or small) is managed and communicated.

Individual Stress Risk Assessments

Because stress is linked to an individual’s ability to cope with workplace stressors, there may be instances where staff experience stress, anxiety, or depression and require additional support to work effectively.

When a member of staff is diagnosed with stress or a related condition, managers should complete an Individual Stress Risk Assessment and review it regularly in consultation with the affected colleague.

This process should follow the HSE Management Standards framework. The individual should have an opportunity to outline their concerns or factors affecting their wellbeing, either directly with their line manager or independently in advance of a discussion.

The line manager should then:

• Identify existing control measures.
• Agree any improvements or new actions required.
• Assign responsibility for each action and set clear timescales.

Review dates should be agreed, and records of progress meetings retained by the line manager.

Strategic Team Stress Risk Assessments

A proactive approach to stress management involves identifying potential stressors before they cause harm. Strategic Team Stress Risk Assessments allow schools to review current working practices against the HSE’s desired standards.

Where any shortfalls are identified, clear actions should be agreed, with responsibilities and deadlines assigned. This strategic, preventative approach can help manage stressors before they begin to affect staff wellbeing or performance.

The Work Right Campaign’s Working Minds initiative also offers online learning and resources to support proactive workplace stress management.

At NASPM, we provide comprehensive stress management guidance, individual stress risk assessment templates, and training for managers on identifying, assessing, and managing stress effectively.

We are introducing a training session called How to Complete Stress Risk Assessments, with our first session being 16th April 2026. These sessions focus on practical strategies to identify, assess, and control workplace stressors while supporting staff wellbeing.

Our focus is on promoting wellbeing, supporting leaders, and embedding sustainable strategies for healthier working environments.

Book your place today here