Less than a third of employees in the UK would be willing to consult with their manager about stress suffered in the workplace.

That is according to research undertaken by Aon consulting, which has concluded that this lack of communication could mean companies are unaware of employee stress levels.

The majority of those questioned (53 per cent) said they would consult their GP if they were experienced stress at work with just nine per cent saying they would discuss such issues with a company doctor.

Commenting on the role that employers need to take in combating stress in the workplace, Alex Bennett, head of healthcare consulting at Aon Consulting said: "It is clear that stress is not easily recognised at work and hence employers need to do all they can to look for the signs of stress by examining sickness absence data and accessing the clinical resources and professionals at their disposal to ensure that employees are given the necessary support to prevent stress leading to long term absence."

He also suggested that companies implement "wellness initiatives" such as promoting sporting events and encouraging healthy eating.

A recent study by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy revealed 213,000 employees currently suffer from repetitive strain injury, which can be caused by mental stress.

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