Reducing stress in the workplace is not rocket science, and recruiters should take a number of simple steps to reduce the risks, recruiters have heard.

Speaking at a Recruitment Society meeting in London last night, Allison Grant, a partner at law firm Davies Arnold Copper suggested that recruiters adopt the following approach:

• take a proactive rather than a reactive approach for example carry out risk assessments
• introduce stress management policies
• offer a confidential counselling service
• monitor employees who you know could be at risk
• where instances of stress occur take action at an early stage

Grant said that recruiters needed to act to avoid the consequences of a costly legal claim.