Page 1 of 15

APPENDIX A

Hertsmere Borough Council

STRESS MANAGEMENT POLICY AND PROCEDURE

January 2016

Part One – General

Version Number 3.0 Next Review due: January 2019

Page 2 of 15

1. Purpose

The Council is committed to protecting the health, safety and welfare of staff by identifying and reducing stress in the workplace as far as reasonably possible To achieve this we will:

Follow a risk assessment process based upon the HSE Management Standards

Include stress awareness as part of the Health & Safety Induction

Through induction and training provide staff with the information they need to do their job

Through job evaluation design jobs that are clear and achievable and communicate these to staff using job descriptions

2. DEFINITION OF STRESS

2.1 The Health and Safety Executive define stress as “the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them”. This makes an important distinction between pressure, which can be a positive state if managed correctly, and stress which can be detrimental to health. Work related stress can be caused by events at work or home. It is important to note that an employees' ability to cope with pressure can be dependent on factors such as personality and resilience. Essentially, individuals react differently.

Mental Health definition It is important to make a distinction between mental health and stress. Mental Health is defined by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as how we think, feel and behave. Common mental health problems are those that;

- are most frequent and more prevalent; and - are successfully treated in primary care settings like GPs rather than by specialists such as

Psychiatrists

2.2 Factors affecting work related stress The HSE management standards identifies the following factors as contributors to workplace stress

Demands - workload, work patterns, and the work environment

Control – how much say a person has in the way they do their work

Support – includes the encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by the organisation, line management and colleagues.

Role – whether people understand their role within the organisation and whether the organisation ensures that they do not have conflicting roles

Change – how organisational changes (large and small) are managed and communicated in the organisation

Relationships – promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable behaviour

Page 3 of 15

3. Roles and Responsibilities

3.1 Employee’s Responsibility

to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or omissions.

to take action to minimise or eradicate stress in the workplace including taking steps to minimise their own stress.

to modify their behaviour where it is causing stress to others.

to contact their manager (or HR, Health & Safety or Occupational Health) as soon as possible if they are experiencing stress at work

to participate and co-operate as fully as possible in stress risk assessments or any investigations

N.B. The employer cannot address workplace issues if it has not been brought to the attention of management. To allow the Council to fulfil its responsibilities to address stress related issues, all employees should make themselves available, have a positive attitude and co-operate with the Council in any related interviews arranged as part of the investigation or management of stress, or for the preparation and implementation of a risk assessment/action plan. 4. LINE MANAGEMENT 4.1 Role and responsibilities of the Manager

to be proactive when they notice that a member of their team is showing either the physical or behavioural effects of stress. Managers should refer to the information at the end of this document which may help them in identifying the signs of stress in an employee.

to undertake regular one to ones

to conduct regular communication and staff briefings during periods of change but taking account of the necessity to retain confidentiality where business reasons dictate.

Regular one to one supervision sessions and the Performance Appraisal are opportunities to discuss work issues including work related stress. Where work related stress has been raised, the manager will set aside time to meet with the employee at the earliest opportunity and not later than 10 working days, to discuss the issues raised in a positive and supportive manner. The manager needs to carry out a risk assessment with the individual member of staff, using the guidance notes. This should be conducted within 15 working days. (N.B. If the employee is on sick leave, the time limits will be varied as appropriate) The manager should then consider ways of managing any risks identified including the scope for special leave, flexible working or home working where appropriate. Managers should refer all individuals who have cited stress as a reason for absence to the Occupational Health Adviser and in all cases where a stress risk assessment has been undertaken, HR, the Health and Safety Coordinator and Occupational Health Adviser should be informed.

Page 4 of 15

The manager should ensure that after the risk assessment has been carried out, the outcome is confirmed in writing with the individual member of staff, and a copy sent to HR, the Health and Safety Coordinator and the Occupational Health Adviser. 4.2 Training Stress management training will be available, including annual refreshers, for managers and supervisors, who must ensure they attend. This will assist managers to effectively prevent, identify and handle cases of stress encountered by their staff. 5. HUMAN RESOURCES 5.1 Role and Responsibility of the Health and Safety Co-ordinator The Health and Safety Coordinator can be contacted by managers and individuals for advice and assistance in the writing of stress risk assessments. The Health and Safety Coordinator will liaise with the Occupational Health Adviser for additional advice as necessary and inform Human Resources accordingly. 5.2 Role and Responsibility of Human Resources HR will provide support on this policy both to managers and employees by: Providing, and monitoring sickness absence to assist line managers in identifying any possible trends. Ensuring that the management of stress in the work place is a high priority and managers are given access to appropriate support for the actions they may need to take. Providing training to managers on the policy, and monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of its implementation. Providing advice and assistance on individual cases as required, including referral to the Occupational Health Adviser so that an employee’s medical condition can be clarified and appropriate action taken. Referring all individuals who have cited stress as a reason for absence, to the Occupational Health Adviser and Health and Safety Coordinator. Informing the Health and Safety Co-ordinator of cases where stress related issues have been highlighted, to give an awareness of incidents and hazards requiring management. Ensuring that employees are aware of and can access confidential advice and support, including counselling where appropriate, through the Occupational Health Service and the Employee Assistance Programme (Care First) details of which are available on the intranet. Exploring opportunities for promoting healthy living and work / life balance for employees of the Council.

5.3 The Role and Responsibility of the Occupational Health Adviser

Page 5 of 15

The Occupational Health Adviser (OHA) provides an occupational health service as to all staff and managers on behalf of Hertsmere Borough Council.

Human Resources will refer appropriate cases to the OHA who will provide appropriate advice and support to both managers and individual members of staff in dealing with stress. The OHA will arrange to see the member of staff who has been identified as displaying stress related symptoms. The OHA will then provide a written report to HR and the manager.

The OHA will work closely with Human Resources, the Health and Safety Co-ordinator, the manager and the member of staff to monitor any adjustments implemented. 6. STAFF REPRESENTATIVES / TRADES UNION ROLE Staff representatives / trade unions have a role in the general management of stress in the workplace and have been consulted on this policy.

7. Part Three - Risk Management 7.1 In order to avoid and reduce the risk of stress in the workplace, all managers should incorporate as far as possible, the 6 risk factors identified in paragraph 2.2, into team meetings, staff appraisals and sickness monitoring, in order that these factors are addressed routinely in a proactive way, which should then minimise the necessity for individual risk assessment. There may be occasions when the risk of stress has to be included within a generic service risk assessment, and possibly an individual risk assessment will be needed for stress. The assessment should be carried out together by the individual concerned and their line manager, advice and assistance can be sought from the Human Resources Team, the Health and Safety Coordinator and the Occupational Health Adviser. Guidance on stress risk assessment, and an example, is available in at the end of this document.

8. Part Four: Outcome of the Risk Assessment

8.1 The manager should ensure that all options that have been discussed and identified are recorded on the risk assessment form. The agreed plan of action with timescales should be recorded and those responsible for carrying out the actions named.

Any advice or recommendations provided by the OHA should be considered when making any reasonable adjustments for a member of staff. A review period should be agreed with the member of staff and programmed in as part of the procedure for managing stress at work. Copies of the risk assessment and any other documentation should be sent to Human Resources, the Occupational Health Advisor and the Health and Safety Coordinator

The review should be documented and a copy should be sent to HR.

Page 6 of 15

It is essential that the risk assessment is agreed between the line manager and individual being assessed. If agreement cannot be reached on appropriate control measures, then advice must be sought from Human Resources. Controls included in the risk assessment must be realistic and if not achievable by the individual or line manager, should be referred up the chain of command as appropriate. 9. Part Five: Legal Framework / Organisation Policies There is no specific legislation applying to the management of stress in the workplace. However there are certain pieces of legislation and Council policies that must be considered: 9.1 The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 The Act places a duty of care on employers to protect the health, safety and welfare of all employees whilst they are at work. Employees also have a duty to cooperate with the employer and follow safe systems of work. If an employee is experiencing stress related symptoms, then they should bring this to the attention of their line manager or another manager, Human Resources, Health & Safety Coordinator or Occupational Health Adviser. 9.2 The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (as amended) The Regulations place a duty on employers to assess all significant risks to health and safety that staff may be exposed to during the course of their work, and to take reasonable and practicable steps to reduce risk. Stress can be a hazard in the workplace and therefore has to be risk assessed in order to reduce the risk of harm as low as is reasonably practicable 9.3 The Working Time Directive (93/104/EC) The Council will ensure that this directive is complied with. Advice can be sought on the application of this directive from Human Resources. 9.4 The Equality Act 2010 (disability equality provisions) Managers need to be aware that mental health problems, such as depression, may come under the disability equality provisions of the Equality Act 2010, and in such cases, stress factors need to be carefully considered. 9.5 Protecting individual dignity at work policy This policy is in place to allow the Council to protect individuals from unacceptable behaviour such as bullying, or harassment or discrimination on the grounds of a protected characteristic such as race or gender. For further guidance on this policy please contact Human Resources.

9.6 Sickness Absence Management The Council will treat ill health resulting from stress at work the same as any other case of ill health in the work place and in accordance with the Sickness Absence Management Policy and procedure.

Page 7 of 15

9.7 Health and Safety Policy There are a number of H&S policies within the Council which could be relevant to the successful management of stress in the workplace. 9.8 Confidentiality There is a legal obligation under legislation such as the Data Protection Act that information disclosed under the Stress Management procedure will be treated with strict confidentiality. All parties involved will also be expected to act in line with these expectations to ensure the needs of the individual are respected and the effect on others will be minimised.

Page 8 of 15

Further information- Recognising the signs and symptoms Symptoms of stress, excessive pressure or mental health problems can manifest in many different ways. Workplace stress, excessive pressure or mental health problems cfollowing ways;

Psychological Symptoms

Increased anxiety

Irritability

Anger

Feeling suspicious or defensive

Sensitivity to criticism

Mood swings

Tearfulness

Heightened emotion

Depression

Difficulty concentrating

Mind racing or going blank

Physical Symptoms

Fatigue

Palpitations

Flushing or sweating

Headaches

Sleep problems

Muscle aches and tension

Skin problems (hives, eczema, psoriasis)

Constant colds, minor ailments or infections

Dizziness / Disturbed vision

Chest pains / Shortness of breath

Numbness of in hands or feet

Digestive problems

Hair loss

Dry mouth

Back pain

Emotional Symptoms

Irritability

Hostility

Anxiety

Loss of self-esteem

Lack of self confidence

Feelings of helplessness

Withdrawal

Apathy

Lethargy

Lack of concentration

Tearfulness

Behavioral Symptoms

Absence from work

Poor time keeping

Loss of appetite or overeating

Working excessively

Impaired speech

Erratic judgment

Frequent accidents

Disturbed sleep patterns

Reduced work performance

Displacing anger onto clients and colleagues

Confusion and increasing forgetfulness

Page 9 of 15

Support (Talking to the employee) If there are specific concerns or you have recognised possible signs and symptoms, it is important to address these at an early stage. Research emphasises the role of support and inclusive management practices as key in preventing social exclusion or marginalisation. Simple management tools could help you to approach employees and identify problems and needs. As a manager you could choose to hold a one to one or hold an informal meeting to talk to an employee. Here are some tips for effective discussion;

Meet in a private, confidential setting.

Being clear about confidentiality (you have a duty as a manager to disclose information if you suspect the employee could cause harm to themselves or others).

Use open questions when you are talking to the employee to help them open up. A good starting point is to simply ask the employee how they feel.

Listen to what the employees says and do not make judgments or assume everyone deals with stress in the same way.

Ask the employee whether there are any problems at work or outside of work that they may wish to talk about.

Under the Disability Discrimination provision of the Equality Act 2010, it is important to note that the employee is not required to tell you about a health condition or disability; however you can tell them that it will be hard for you to make adjustments if they do not. It is important to note that if you break confidentiality this could be a breach under the Disability Discrimination provision of the Equality Act 2010.

Work performance • Reduction in output • Poor decision making • Deterioration in planning and control of work

Employee attitude & behaviour • Loss of motivation and commitment • Erratic/poor time keeping • Working longer hours but for diminishing returns

Relationships at work • Tension and conflict between colleagues • Poor relationships with clients • Increase in disciplinary problems

Sickness absence • Increase in overall sickness absences especially short frequent periods

Work performance • Reduction in output • Poor decision making • Deterioration in planning and control of work

Employee attitude & behaviour • Loss of motivation and commitment • Erratic/poor time keeping • Working longer hours but for diminishing returns

Relationships at work • Tension and conflict between colleagues • Poor relationships with clients • Increase in disciplinary problems

Sickness absence • Increase in overall sickness absences especially short frequent periods

Page 10 of 15

Suggestions on how to approach discussions:

Tips for employees Research indicates that simple things can help with ensuring wellbeing. Managers and colleagues can make employees aware of the steps that they can follow to ensure a healthy lifestyle;

Keep physically active

Eat well

Only drink in moderation

Value yourself and others

Talk about your feelings

Keep in touch with friends and family

Care for others

Get involved, make a contribution

Learn a new skill

Do something creative

Take a break

Ask for help Further information is available from the HSE – http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/

QUESTIONS TO ASK QUSTIONS TO AVOID How are you doing at the moment?

You seem to be a bit down/upset/under

pressure/ frustrated/angry. Is everything okay?

I’ve noticed you’ve been arriving late recently

and I wondered if you’re okay.

I’ve noticed the reports are late when they

usually are not. Is everything okay?

Is there anything I can do to help?

What would you like to happen? How?

What support do you think might help?

Have you spoken to your GP or looked for help

anywhere else?

You’re clearly struggling. What’s up?

Why can’t you just get your act together?

What do you expect me to do about it?

Your performance is really unacceptable right

now – what’s going on?

Everyone else is in the same boat and

they’re okay. Why aren’t you?

Who do you expect to pick up all the work

that you can’t manage?

Don’t you like working here anymore?

11

Risk assessment

RISK ASSESSMENT FOR:

What are you risk assessing? Put in brief outline of the task/activity.

The potential for stress to staff whilst carrying out their day to day role or following a period of intensive or

potentially distressing activity or change within the establishment. This form can be used when carrying

out an assessment for an employee who has reported and incidence of work related stress.

Establishment:

Assessment by:

Date:

Risk assessment number/ref:

Manager Approval:

Date:

Use this form to record the significant findings of your risk assessment and detail any action required to reduce risk further, where existing actions (control measures) are

insufficient.

Add in link to the Guidance

What are the

hazards?

Who might be

harmed and how?

What are you already doing?

Risk

Rating

What further action is

necessary?

Action by

whom?

Action by

when?

Done

Are there excessive job

demands

Workload, work

patterns and work

environment

Staff

Ill health (depression,

anxiety) leading to

absence from work.

Performance management process in place

Regular meetings with staff, both team

meetings and one to one/ performance

management which would discuss and

anticipate workload.

Ensure that skills and abilities are correctly

matched to job (person spec and job

description)

Managers monitor sickness absence data

and staff turnover rates.

Work environment concerns, e.g.

temperature, ventilation, noise, are taken

seriously and investigated.

Times and lengths of meetings agreed and

adhered to

12

What are the

hazards?

Who might be

harmed and how?

What are you already doing?

Risk

Rating

What further action is

necessary?

Action by

whom?

Action by

when?

Done

Control – how much

say a person has in the

way they do their work

Employees

Ill health (depression,

anxiety) leading to

absence from work.

Staff have an opportunity to take a genuine

break at lunch time.

Ensure staff maintains a reasonable work

life balance.

Staff encouraged using their skills and

initiative to do their work.

Staff are encouraged to develop new skills

to help them undertake new and

challenging pieces of work.

Staff consulted over their work patterns or

changes to their work patterns.

Consideration of the workload impact of

each new initiative before it is introduced.

Scope for flexible working arrangements

considered

Support – includes the

encouragement and

resources provided

Employees

Ill health (depression,

anxiety) leading to

absence from work.

Employees are supported through council

policies and procedures.

Regular team meetings / one-to-ones to

discuss emergent issues.

Staff are aware of the support that is

available to them

Staff receive regular constructive feedback

as part of their performance management

Identification of any training needs

conducted through performance

management

Staff can access CPD on a fair and

equitable basis

Mentoring and coaching available where

necessary

Council buying into the Employee

Assistance Programme provided by Care

First. It offers online, telephone and face to

13

What are the

hazards?

Who might be

harmed and how?

What are you already doing?

Risk

Rating

What further action is

necessary?

Action by

whom?

Action by

when?

Done

face counselling on a range of personal and

professional themes.

Role – whether people

understand their role

and the Council

ensures there are not

conflicting roles

Employees

Ill health (depression,

anxiety) leading to

absence from work.

Staff understand their role and are suitably

trained

Performance management used to help

individuals clarify their role and priorities

Standards of performance agreed

New employees receive adequate induction

into their role and objectives

Recruitment process in place with Job

Descriptions and Person Specifications

Effective system of induction for new and

temporary staff

Change – how

organisational change

(large or small) is

managed and

communicated

Employees

Ill health (depression,

anxiety) leading to

absence from work.

Staff made aware of why change is

happening and key steps for change

Realistic timetable set out for change

Individuals directly affected are involved in

the change process

Regular communication and consultation

with all those affected

‘open door’ policy to help individuals who

have concerns

Training provided for new / changed roles

Relationships –

promoting positive

working to avoid

conflict and dealing

with unacceptable

behaviour

Employees

Ill health (depression,

anxiety) leading to

absence from work.

The Council promotes positive behaviours

Discipline, grievance and

bullying/harassment procedures in place

and accessible to staff

Managers are encouraged to deal with and

staff encouraged to report unacceptable

behaviour

Training provided to help staff deal with

14

What are the

hazards?

Who might be

harmed and how?

What are you already doing?

Risk

Rating

What further action is

necessary?

Action by

whom?

Action by

when?

Done

difficult situations

Identify ways to celebrate success

Explore team building exercises

Undetected / poorly

managed stress

Failure to recognise

signs leading to more

serious ill health

Repeated ill health

through poor

management

Employees

Ill health (depression,

anxiety) leading to

absence from work.

All incidents of potential / actual work

related stress reviewed

Advice from HR and/or Occupational Health

sought

Sickness absence policy in place and

adhered to, return to work interviews held

remedial action taken as appropriate.

All staff encouraged to pro-actively raise

issues / concerns with their manager

Staff awareness of available support

improved e.g. counseling, occupational

health, GP, employee assistance

programmes etc.

Exit interviews held

Assessment review date: [dd / mm / 20yy]

This risk assessment has been shared with the following (where applicable)

Name: Date: Name: Date: Name: Date:

Name: Date: Name: Date: Name: Date:

15

RESIDUAL RISK RATING ACTION REQUIRED

VERY HIGH (VH)

Strong likelihood of fatality or serious injury

occurring

The activity must not take place at all.

You must identify further controls to reduce the risk rating.

HIGH (H)

Possibility of fatality or serious injury occurring

You must identify further controls to reduce the risk rating.

Seek further advice, e.g. from your H&S Team

MEDIUM (M)

Possibility of significant injury or over 3 day

absence occurring

If it is not possible to lower risk further, you will need to consider the risk against the benefit. Monitor risk assessments at this

rating more regularly and closely.

LOW (L)

Possibility of minor injury only

No further action required.