BOURNEMOUTH employers are being encouraged to take part in a new stress management initiative that is being launched to coincide with today's National Stress Awareness Day (November 3).

It is estimated that over 1.1 million working days a year are lost in the South West due to work-related stress causing injury or ill-health. At an average of 29 days lost per case, this is costing society £3.7 billion a year nationally.

In a bid to reduce this figure, the International Stress Management Associ-ation (ISMA) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are joining forces to bring Bourne-mouth area employers fully up to speed with the HSE's latest guidance on work-related stress which are unveiled today.

To help employers understand how to use these new guidelines, ISMA is organising free local workshops throughout November - including one in Bournemouth on 23 November.

The purpose of the workshops is to explain the HSE's approach to work-related stress, outline the responsibilities of employers, managers and employees, and provide practical help and advice on the positive steps that people at all levels of an organisation can take to help to identify, manage and reduce the effects of work-related stress.

"Stress is one of the most common causes of absence from work, but is also an issue that many organisations find very difficult to effectively manage," says ISMA member Joan Bailey from Joan Bailey Associates, who is presenting the Bournemouth workshop. "The HSE's new Management Standards give employers a practical means of achieving this, as well as helping them meet their legal obligations in relation to workplace stress. By attending the workshop, employers will therefore get fully up-to-speed with what they and their employees can and should be doing to reduce the risks of stress - for everybody's benefit."

The Bournemouth workshop takes place on Tuesday 23 November in the large conference room at the Main Bournemouth Library, The Triangle, Bournemouth. Places - which are limited - can be reserved by calling Joan Bailey on 01202 425719 or emailing joan@hrtraining.biz.

Further details of all the workshops being held around the UK during November are available via the ISMA website www.isma.org.uk.