Stress-related illness at University has fallen

9:55pm Wednesday 7th November 2007

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STRESS-related illness among staff at the University of Bolton has fallen dramatically after they took up horse-riding, sailing and other sports activities.

Employees were taking an average of 16 sick days each in 2004, but that has fallen by half since the introduction of the exercise programme last year.

The university was one of 13 higher education institutions to take part in a pilot scheme to examine occupational stress in higher education.

Results indicated that staff morale was low because they felt there was a lack of commitment to their welfare from their employers and because of efficiency reviews and the relocation of staff between two campuses.

Shirley Silcock, the university's human resources and community officer, said: "We had an appalling sickness absence record. Of the 16 days per person, almost a quarter were related to stress, anxiety and depression.

"It was costing the university a lot of money and time."

Ms Silcock managed to persuade the university's management team to bid for £50,000 from Sport England, which has a £1 million fund for workplace health promotion.

The money has been used to fund a three-year project that offers a variety of sporting activities for staff members.

The sickness absence rates among the 200 participants fell to almost half during the first year of the programme, and remaining absences are said to be down to physical illness rather than being stress-related.