A new survey by YouGov, commissioned by the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (Acas) - polled 1,014 employees and found that 3 out of 5 (63%) workers in the UK feel stressed because of the rising cost of living and only 36% of employees do not feel stressed.

Susan Clews - Chief Executive of Acas, said:

"The cost of living pressures are having a huge impact on many people's lives at the moment and our poll reveals that a substantial proportion of workers are feeling stressed as a result.”

She continued:

"Employees should also look after their own mental health and have some coping strategies to help manage stress. Acas has advice that can help to avoid problems building up and lead to improved morale at work."

Acas’ advice for workers to support their own mental health and wellbeing includes:

• talk to people you work with or friends about how you're feeling
• speak to your manager about how you're doing and your situation
• reflect on what helps you feel more positive and what does not
• make time for activities you enjoy
• check with your employer on what support is available at work

To help staff with their mental health, Acas advises employers to do the following:

• be approachable, available and encourage team members to talk to you if they're having problems
• keep in regular contact with your team to check how they are coping
• respect confidentiality and be calm, patient, supportive and reassuring if a staff member wants to have a chat about their mental health
• clearly communicate the internal and external support available to staff
• look after your own mental health and get support if you feel under more pressure than usual – this support could be a colleague at work, a mental health network or a counsellor
• consider offering practical help such as signposting to financial advice or bringing advice providers into work

Susan Clews added:

"Employers that support their employees' mental health at work will be able to spot the signs, help manage them and create an environment where staff can openly talk about anything that is causing them stress. Offering practical tips such as signposting to financial advice can also help.”

Advice from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is that employers have a legal duty to protect employees from stress at work, by doing a risk assessment and acting on it.

Companies that have fewer than five workers do not have to have written policies, but those with five or more workers are required by law to write a risk assessment.

They advise that:

“Any paperwork you produce should help you communicate and manage the risks in your business. For most people this does not need to be a big exercise – just note the main points about the significant risks and what you decided.”

To help record any findings they offer a risk assessment template, and on their website there are example risk assessments on stress, that may help employers in small businesses.