Work-related stress is defined as 'the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them'.

About half a million people in the UK experience work-related stress at a level they believe is making them ill; up to 5 million people in the UK feel "very" or "extremely" stressed by their work; and a total of 12.8 million working days were lost to stress, depression and anxiety in 2004/5.

Typical triggers of stress include:

• Lack of control over work;
• Excessive time pressures;
• Excessive or inflexible working hours;
• Too much or too little work or responsibility;
• Confusion about duties and responsibilities;
• Lack of job variety and interest; 
• Inadequate training and possibilities for learning new skills;
• Poor work/life balance; 
• Difficult relationships at work; 
• Lack of support and lack of contact with colleagues;
• Organisational confusion, restructuring, job change;
• Uncertainty over job prospects.