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Managing Stress19 January 2010
Emma Darvill
HM Inspector of Health & Safety
Health and Safety Executive
Aims
The Next 30 Minutes:
• Why tackle Work-Related stress?
• The Law
• The Benefits
• The Management Standards
• Managing Sickness Absence
Before we start - what is stress?
HSE definition of stress: Stress is the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them.
What is stress?
• A natural reaction to excessive pressure;
• When perceived demands exceed the individual’s ability to cope;
• It is not a disease but if excessive/prolonged can lead to mental and physical ill health;
• There is no such thing as positive stress (only positive pressure), stress is always negative;
• Stress is not a recognised medical condition but if it is prolonged or particularly intense it can lead to physical and/or mental ill health
The scale of the problem
Self reported work related ill-health survey 2008-2009
• 415,000 individual cases WRS
• 16.7% stressed or very stressed
• Half of all work related ill-health is stress related
• Rising to ¾ for the priority sectors including Health Service
• Stress costs the UK economy an estimated £3.7 to £3.8 billion per annum
• Stress costs employers £3-4 million per annum
http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/stress/index.htm
The scale of the problem
• Work related stress is the leading cause
of working days lost through work
related injury or ill health
• 2004/2005 12.8 million days lost
• Average 30.9 days per case
Why tackle work related stress?
Government targets for 2010
• 20% reduction in work related ill health
• 30% reduction in days lost due to WRS
HSE targets for 2008
• 6% reduction in new cases of work related ill health
• 8% reduction in days lost due to WRS
Why tackle work related stress?
HSE has been working with HSL and a variety of academics to develop the
Stress Management Standards
Inspectors were dedicated to partnership work with large organisations on
stress management since 2002
Willing 100
Lead to the current Management Standards
It works
What is it?
• A business improvement strategy that
addresses the identified causes of
stress
The Law
• Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974
• Management of Health & Safety at
Work Regulations 1999
• Employee Consultation Regulations
1996
The Benefits
• Useful to develop staff skills that can be
adapted for other purposes (facilitation)
• Lack of participation – general managers
know it is an issue, but don’t have resources
(time) to deal with it
• Differentiates between perceived and actual
problems (Focus Groups)
• Feeling that Focus Group approach is useful,
not just management imposed solutions
The Benefits
• A more committed and effective workforce
• Reduced sickness absence
• Lower staff turnover
• Improved business image/reputation
• Improved financial performance
And finally
• Meet your legal obligations
• Potential litigation
The Benefits
Case study: NHS Trust
• ‘0’ Star rating 2002
• Organisation Development Programme
• Stress audit carried out
• Sickness absence reduced by 30%
• Significant reductions in staff turnover
• ‘2’ Star rating 2004
Stress Management Standards
Risk based approach
Audit
Assess findings
Implement changes
Monitor and review
www.hse.gov.uk/stress
Stress Management Standards
• Demands – this includes issues such as workload, work patterns and the work environment.
• Control – how much say the person has in the way they do their work.
• Support – this includes the encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by the organisation, line management and colleagues.
• Relationships – this includes promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable behaviour.
• Role – whether people understand their role within the organisation and whether the organisation ensures that they do not have conflicting roles.
• Change – how organisational change (large or small) is managed and communicated in the organisation
Costs
What will it cost?
Gain Senior management commitment
Use in-house resources
Find out about organisational drivers
HR
Trade Unions
Employee experiences
Key Lessons
• No ‘Silver Bullet’
• Align with existing initiatives
• Small things make a difference
• Management standards can be incorporated into everyday work
• It is now expected for management to thank staff
• Managers take ownership of their staff
• Need SMART objectives
• Need to keep communication open, timely and relevant
• Embed MS – performance appraisals
• Need primary interventions
Managing Sickness Absence
• Average NHS Employee takes 10 days off
per year
• Estimated costs in the region of £1 billion
Managing Sickness Absence
• HSE 6 element approach:
- Recording sickness absence
- Keeping in contact
- Planning and undertaking workplace
adjustments
- Using professional advice and treatment
- Agreeing and reviewing a return to work plan
- Coordinating the return to work plan.
Thank you for listening, any questions?
The End
Further Information
• www.hse.gov.uk
• http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/index.htm
• http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/experience.htm (case
studies)
• http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/why.htm
• http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/pdfs/standardsapproach
.ppt
• http://www.acas.org.uk/media/pdf/p/9/stress2_1.pdf
Local Arrangements
Bristol Office :01179 886000
Paula Johnson – Principal Inspector
Susan Chivers – Bristol, N Somerset, BANES
Emma Darvill – Wiltshire
Alison Fry – Gloucestershire
Trudi Smyth - Somerset
Plymouth Office: 01752 276300
Trevor Morrow – Cornwall & N.Devon
Emma O’Hara - Devon
Contact Us
HSE Info Line
0845 345 0055
