PRACTICAL STRESS MANAGEMENT. + + EMPLOYER’S ROLES: 1Identify significant hazards (dust in our example) 2Remove or control/reduce significant risks (e.g

PRACTICAL PRACTICAL STRESS STRESS

MANAGEMENTMANAGEMENT

PRACTICAL STRESS MANAGEMENTPRACTICAL STRESS MANAGEMENT

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EMPLOYER’S ROLES:EMPLOYER’S ROLES:

11 Identify significant hazards (dust in our example)Identify significant hazards (dust in our example)

22 Remove or control/reduce significant risks (e.g. keep Remove or control/reduce significant risks (e.g. keep levels of dust as low as reasonably can be achieved)levels of dust as low as reasonably can be achieved)

33 Monitor the success of the systems that are put in place and Monitor the success of the systems that are put in place and make adjustments as necessarymake adjustments as necessary

44 React quickly when issues do arise – including issues with React quickly when issues do arise – including issues with causation outside the employer’s immediate controlcausation outside the employer’s immediate control

55 Ensure that staff are competent and well informed (informed Ensure that staff are competent and well informed (informed with regard to work place risks and methods of control and, with regard to work place risks and methods of control and,

in in the case of forward thinking employers, how they may help the case of forward thinking employers, how they may help themselves to cope through lifestyle choices, etc.)themselves to cope through lifestyle choices, etc.)

66 Provide support and treatment services for staffProvide support and treatment services for staff

77 Develop a culture that supports health and safety Develop a culture that supports health and safety management management


Manageable Demands

Excessive demands



11 Identify sources of stress (stressors/hazards) that involve Identify sources of stress (stressors/hazards) that involve a significant level of demand a significant level of demand

22 Remove or control/reduce significant and potentially Remove or control/reduce significant and potentially damaging demands (risks)damaging demands (risks)






77 Develop a culture that supports stress management Develop a culture that supports stress management


(1) Identifying significant sources of stress (1) Identifying significant sources of stress (stressors/demands)(stressors/demands)

Consider each group of jobs Consider each group of jobs andand the specific demands of individual the specific demands of individual postsposts

1 2 3 4 5

Demand Significance Level

Work under pressure of time X

Responsibility for clients X

Shift work X

Need to concentration despite interruptions X

Potentially abusive clients X

Other (inc. job or profession specific)



Use “Stress Audits” to identify more general issues experienced Use “Stress Audits” to identify more general issues experienced by groups of workers or across the wider work forceby groups of workers or across the wider work force

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been running a The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been running a simple, practical, stress audit pilot scheme: simple, practical, stress audit pilot scheme:

Very simple staged process – only 6 questions in first Very simple staged process – only 6 questions in first stage, subsequent stages involve minimal stage, subsequent stages involve minimal questioning are only undertaken if shown to be questioning are only undertaken if shown to be necessary at first stagenecessary at first stage

Covers 6 main areas associated with stress at work -Covers 6 main areas associated with stress at work -Demands, Control, Support, Relationships, Role, and Demands, Control, Support, Relationships, Role, and ChangeChange

Provides a mechanism to use in assessing how Provides a mechanism to use in assessing how significant the responses are – e.g. would you consider significant the responses are – e.g. would you consider that your company had a “bullying culture” if 5% of that your company had a “bullying culture” if 5% of staff feel that they are bullied at work? staff feel that they are bullied at work?

- what if the expected figure is 50%?- what if the expected figure is 50%?

- what if the expected figure is 0.5%?- what if the expected figure is 0.5%?


Consider the impact of all policy and strategic decisions on how Consider the impact of all policy and strategic decisions on how staff will cope and factor these considerations in before staff will cope and factor these considerations in before deciding whether or not to go ahead with changes. For deciding whether or not to go ahead with changes. For example:example:

Will changes make it easier or harder for staff to cope with Will changes make it easier or harder for staff to cope with demands?demands?

Will service benefits outweigh any negative impact on staff?Will service benefits outweigh any negative impact on staff?

Is the change necessary – are you about to fix something Is the change necessary – are you about to fix something that isn’t broken?that isn’t broken?

What resource requirements will be necessary to ensure What resource requirements will be necessary to ensure that staff can cope, are there new training requirements, that staff can cope, are there new training requirements, what change management process will be used?what change management process will be used?


(2) Remove or control/reduce significant and potentially (2) Remove or control/reduce significant and potentially damaging demandsdamaging demands

Provision of equipment and resourcesProvision of equipment and resources

Appropriate staffing levelsAppropriate staffing levels

Provision of a suitable physical environmentProvision of a suitable physical environment

Training – general requirements to carry out work Training – general requirements to carry out work tasks tasks andand for specific areas of demand such as dealing for specific areas of demand such as dealing with aggressive/abusive clientswith aggressive/abusive clients

Appropriate time off, rest breaks, and rostersAppropriate time off, rest breaks, and rosters

Support through supervision, provision of information, Support through supervision, provision of information, consultation, etcconsultation, etc



Use Stress Audits, ask staff to assess their own demands Use Stress Audits, ask staff to assess their own demands (use JA1), etc., as a check of management perceptions(use JA1), etc., as a check of management perceptions

(3) Monitor the success of the systems that are put in (3) Monitor the success of the systems that are put in place and make adjustments as necessaryplace and make adjustments as necessary

Listen to staff – and have several lines through which Listen to staff – and have several lines through which issues can be reportedissues can be reported

Review levels of and reasons for staff absences (needs Review levels of and reasons for staff absences (needs some interpretation, e.g. regular absences for some interpretation, e.g. regular absences for varied/unspecific reasons may be indicative of an varied/unspecific reasons may be indicative of an underlying difficulty in coping)underlying difficulty in coping)

Statistical information from occupational health Statistical information from occupational health providers/employee counselling services (within providers/employee counselling services (within appropriate limits of confidentiality)appropriate limits of confidentiality)

Introduce new ways of controlling demands and/or alter Introduce new ways of controlling demands and/or alter existing systems in response to monitoring feedbackexisting systems in response to monitoring feedback


(4) React quickly when issues do arise(4) React quickly when issues do arise

Do not allow problems to fester – they may become more Do not allow problems to fester – they may become more serious and potentially unresolvableserious and potentially unresolvable

Recognise that external factors may impact on an Recognise that external factors may impact on an employees ability to work and make adjustments to assistemployees ability to work and make adjustments to assist

Tackle difficult situations such as bullying, personality Tackle difficult situations such as bullying, personality clashes, etc. These issues are likely to deepen over time if clashes, etc. These issues are likely to deepen over time if no action is taken:no action is taken:

e.g.e.g. MediationMediation

Clarity as to acceptable behaviourClarity as to acceptable behaviour

““Drawing a line in the sand”Drawing a line in the sand”

Formal action where necessaryFormal action where necessary



In Sefton, assessment forms In Sefton, assessment forms are given to candidates and are given to candidates and OH practitioners during OH practitioners during recruitment. OH identify recruitment. OH identify appropriate additional appropriate additional support where it is support where it is practicable and, rarely, have practicable and, rarely, have to advise that someone to advise that someone should not be employed should not be employed when suitable support is when suitable support is unrealistic.unrealistic.

(5) Ensure that staff are competent and well informed(5) Ensure that staff are competent and well informed

Pre-employment:Pre-employment:

Provide information to applicants so that they know what to Provide information to applicants so that they know what to expect and can discount themselves if they “don’t think the expect and can discount themselves if they “don’t think the job’s for them”job’s for them”

Consider how candidates will respond to the demands they will Consider how candidates will respond to the demands they will face during recruitment testing and interviewingface during recruitment testing and interviewing

Pre-employment health checks/occupational health (OH) Pre-employment health checks/occupational health (OH) assessmentassessment


During employment:During employment:

Staff development – coaching, mentoring, training, etcStaff development – coaching, mentoring, training, etc

SupervisionSupervision

Provide information on demands and the ways that Provide information on demands and the ways that they are to be controlled – include the employees rolethey are to be controlled – include the employees role

Provide information on reporting arrangements, available Provide information on reporting arrangements, available support, etc. support, etc.

Provide information on identifying and coping with stress at a Provide information on identifying and coping with stress at a personal level, on life style, etc. personal level, on life style, etc. (in support of, not the place of, (in support of, not the place of, organisational efforts)organisational efforts)


(6) Provide support and treatment services for staff(6) Provide support and treatment services for staff

CounsellingCounselling

Occupational healthOccupational health

Other, e.g. Cognitive Behavioural TherapyOther, e.g. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

The need for these services The need for these services in relation to work related stressin relation to work related stress issues should be viewed as representing management failures – issues should be viewed as representing management failures – the onus must be placed on controlling demands, not treatment the onus must be placed on controlling demands, not treatment of problems once they have arisen.of problems once they have arisen.


(7) Develop a culture that supports stress management(7) Develop a culture that supports stress management

Stress prevention and management procedures and mechanisms Stress prevention and management procedures and mechanisms will not be effective unless managers act within the “spirit” of will not be effective unless managers act within the “spirit” of them – not purely as a “cover my back” form filling exercisethem – not purely as a “cover my back” form filling exercise

Important principles in the development of a culture that Important principles in the development of a culture that supports stress management include:supports stress management include:

Recognition that failure to cope with stressful demands Recognition that failure to cope with stressful demands causes real illness – causes real illness – physical at a neurological and physical at a neurological and biochemical levelbiochemical level – and can affect people who would be – and can affect people who would be considered “strong” as well as “weak”considered “strong” as well as “weak”

Avoidance is better than cureAvoidance is better than cure

Making adjustments to assist someone who is struggling will Making adjustments to assist someone who is struggling will maintain a level of productivity that would be lost if they maintain a level of productivity that would be lost if they were to become unfit to work - and may be a key factor in were to become unfit to work - and may be a key factor in avoiding significant long term illnessavoiding significant long term illness

Knowledge and recognition of stressors – at work and in life.Knowledge and recognition of stressors – at work and in life.

Recognition of the importance of treating staff as human Recognition of the importance of treating staff as human beings e.g. in acceptable interpersonal behaviours, beings e.g. in acceptable interpersonal behaviours, consultation, work-life balance considerations, etc.consultation, work-life balance considerations, etc.



11 Identify sources of stress (stressors/hazards) that involve Identify sources of stress (stressors/hazards) that involve a significant level of demand a significant level of demand

22 Remove or control/reduce significant and potentially Remove or control/reduce significant and potentially damaging demands (risks)damaging demands (risks)






77 Develop a culture that supports stress management Develop a culture that supports stress management

Documents

PRACTICAL STRESS MANAGEMENT. + + EMPLOYER’S ROLES: 1Identify significant hazards (dust in our example) 2Remove or control/reduce significant risks (e.g