Employers advised to offer support systems for stress managmentA UK body has told company bosses that they should "educate" their staff about spotting the signs of stress in the workplace.

Neil Shah, director of the Stress Management Society, warned that employees who suffer with this problem could come up with any of a "whole host of conditions" including heart conditions.

"One of the first organs in your body where you experience stress is your heart. Heart-related conditions are very common in people who have very high stress," he said.

However, Mr Shah suggested that employers could introduce a range of support systems to help troubled staff, but said that informing the workforce of ways to identify the issue and be able to deal with it is equally important.

He added that employees should also take some time to ensure that they are managing at work on a daily basis rather than being overwhelmed by their workloads.

This follows a survey by the mental health charity Mind that revealed seven per cent of UK workers had begun taking antidepressants due to job pressures during the recession.

Furthermore, one in ten people admitted they had visited their GP to seek advice.

By Ross George