​Retail named one of the top 10 most stressful industries

Wholesale and retail have been ranked ninth in a list of the most stressful industries in the UK, according to a study analysing stress-related illnesses caused or worsened by employment.

Within wholesale and retail, 1,530 people per 100,000 workers reported suffering from work-related stress, according to personal injury firm Claims.co.uk, which conducted the study using Health and Safety Executive data from March 2022 to March 2023.

Human health and social work activities took the top spot with 3,530 stress illnesses per 100,000 workers, while the public defence and education industries were listed as second and third. 

A spokesperson from Claims.co.uk said: “We are currently living amid a mental health crisis, which means that it’s essential for us to look after ourselves and recognise when our mental wellbeing may be at risk, particularly in the workplace.

“It’s fundamental for employers to protect their employees’ mental health. One of the main ways this can be done is to regularly check in with employees, aiming to create an open environment to discuss thoughts and feelings.” 

The firm highlighted that while some people may assume personal injury claims are limited to broken bones and cuts, they also extend to mental, emotional or psychological harm.  

The full results of the study are below:

The study, conducted by personal injury experts at Claims.co.uk analysed HSE data to examine the number of stress-related illnesses caused or worsened by employment per 100,000 workers from March 2022 to March 2023; the highest number of stress illnesses determined the ranking.