Stress

Major Initiative by H.S.E. Published Guidance June 2001 25 A Managers and Employees Guide

A short guide for SMEs 7-November 2001 New HSE Toolkit on Stress Awareness 2004

What is stress?
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.

Peak Performance +ve Pressure

Performance

Reduced Performance Stress Poor Performance -ve Pressure/Stress

Increasing Stress Level

Examples of individual and situational factors that can help to reduce the of stressful working conditions include the following: Balance between work and family or personal life A support network of friends and coworkers A relaxed and positive outlook

NIOSH Model of Job Stress

ORGANISATION INTERFACE WITH OUTSIDE Company -v- family demands Company -v- own interests, etc

INTRINSIC TO JOB Too much/too little work Poor physical working conditions Time pressures, etc.

ROLE IN ORGANISATION Role conflict/ambiguity Responsibility for people No participation in decision making, etc

Personality Ability to cope with change Motivation

CAREER DEVELOPMENT Over promotion Under promotion Lack of job security Thwarted ambition, etc. RELATIONS WITHIN ORGANISATION Poor relations with boss Poor relationship with colleagues Difficulties in delegating responsibility, etc .

BEING IN THE ORGANISATION Lack of effective consultation Restrictions on behaviour Office politics, etc.

STRESS SPIRAL
Feeling of not being In control in some key area Difficulty relaxing Irritable at home Frustration Concentration problems Tired: mood swings Irritable @ work Indecisive Reduced energy Cutting back interests Sleep disturbed
Loss of focus Reactive Time mismanaged Delegation swings Relaxation lost

Discomfort Tension Preoccupied

Performance decline Anxious / Vulnerable

Scale of work related stress Exposure Effects

1 in 5 people report their job as being eith very or extremely stressful

About million people in the UK report suffering from an illness they believe was caused or made worse by related stress work 6.5 million working days lost

Strategy on work related stress Develop standards of good management practice for a range of stressors

Better equip enforcement officers to be able t handle the issue routinely Encourage a more comprehensive approach Tell people what they can already do

Management standards

Demands Control elationships R Change Role Support, training and individual factor

Tackling work related stress Key points:

Focus on legal duties and risk assessment Applies HSE 5 steps approach to stress Uses the 6 proposed standard groups as factors to consider in the assessment Precursor to standards interim guidance Also addresses dealing with stressed employees and rehabilitation

What you must do

Law
Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Regulation 3 (duty to assess risk) Regulation 4 and schedule 1 (principles of prevention) Regulation 13 (capability, training) Regulation 19 (young people)

Employee consultation regulations

What you must do

Approved Code of Practice on the Manageme of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 19
When allocating work to employees, employers should ensure that the demands of the job do not exceed the employees ability to carry out the work without risk to themselves or others. Employers should review their employees capabilities to carry out their work, as necessary.

What you must do

Law
Employment Rights Act 1996 Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Protection from Harassment Act 1997 The Working Conditions Act 1999 (NL)

+ve Action
Identify the hazards: what?
Demands Control Relationships Change Role Support, training and individual factors

+ve Action
Identify the hazards: how?
Qualitative methods
Formal (interviews, focus groups) Informal (talking to staff)

Quantitative methods
Absence, productivity, turnover data Questionnaires

+ve Action
Who can be harmed? How?
Different people affected differently

Evaluate the risk

Mental and physical ill health Record the significant findings

+ve Action
Review the assessment

Whenever there is reason to think it is no longer valid uggest S monthly at first, then annually if 6 this proves to be too frequent Also consider when there are changes in t organisation and in staffs lives the is assessment still valid?

What you must do

Avoid risks Combat risks at source Adapt work to individual Develop coherent overall prevention policy, including organisation of work, social environment etc Give collective measures priority

Factors out of your control

Stress often the result of combination factors You are not expected to be responsible matters not under your control See if you can help Promote a healthy workbalance life -

Suffering from work related stress? Despite precautions, some people may still suffer from work related stress Skills for the manager Suggestions for actions Rehabilitation and retention Where to get help

Tackling work related stress Stress is a serious problem You must not ignore it Decide what needs to be done AND DO IT