Guidelines to Management of Stress at Work

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1 Guidelines to Management of Stress at Work Introduction This document aims to provide information on work-related stress and the measures in place at Massey University to help prevent work-related stress or protect employees from it. The University will endeavour to do its part, so far as is reasonably practicable, in preventing work-related stress. Examples of possible sources of stress are given in Appendix 1 and examples of possible responses to stress are given in Appendix 2. Appendix 3 outlines hazard management control in the identification and assessment of hazards in the workplace that can lead to stress. Contents Introduction...1 Definition of Stress...1 Mechanisms for Identifying the Risks...1 Mechanisms for Identifying and Monitoring the Incidence of Stress...2 Responsibilities...2 Measures to Prevent Stress or to Mitigate its Consequences...3 References...4 Appendix 1 How (and why) does stress affect us?...5 Appendix 2 Examples of responses to stress...6 Appendix 3 Stress hazards and Solutions...7 Appendix 4 Context and Content of Work...10 Definition of Stress Stress is the emotional, physiological or behavioural adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them (adapted from UK Health and Safety Executive). Things at work or outside of work, or both, can cause stress. The information in this document is concerned with work-related stress: that is, stress that arises from, or is made worse by, work. Work-related stress is not an illness, but it can lead to increased problems with ill health if it is prolonged or particularly intense. Mechanisms for Identifying the Risks Work-related stress and fatigue need to be included in the management of hazards, when carrying out hazard assessments required by the Health and Safety in Employment Act. In making these assessments, employers must consider the factors that are likely to cause intense or sustained levels of work-related stress, taking into account the precautions/control Reviewed July

2 measures that are already in place. It is reasonable to assume that employees are mentally capable of withstanding reasonable 1 pressures at work. It must also be recognised that there will be other external factors that cannot be controlled by the University and that employees must, so far as is reasonably practicable, do whatever they can to help prevent stress in the workplace. Mechanisms for Identifying and Monitoring the Incidence of Stress The issue of work-related stress should be raised and discussed, as circumstances require, or at the time of the annual performance review and planning interview. There is no one simple measure that can be used to identify the risk of stress. Information from; sickness absence data, EAP use, grievances, staff turnover, and workplace satisfaction survey results may provide guidance. Responsibilities The risk of individuals not coping is minimised where there is; mutual trust, promotion of self-esteem, shared objectives and common goals. There is a shared management and employee responsibility for dealing with stress concerns. In brief these are: Employee s Individual Responsibility Employees have a duty to assist the University in minimising, so far as is reasonably practicable, work-related stress. This duty includes the following: Inform their line manager in early stages that he/she is feeling stressed, so the line manager has an opportunity to resolve the problem. Advise their line manager of any factors in the workplace that may be causing workrelated stress. Reflect on possible causes of stress (both work-related and non-work) to determine most salient causes. Request reasonable adjustments to working practices if these will assist in meeting changed circumstances. Obtain and utilize programmes offered through Training and Development on Managing Yourself Under Pressure and Time Management. Seek professional assistance through the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). EAP will deal with the matter in confidence, unless the individual concerned gives express permission for information to be sent to others. You should note you have a health and safety responsibility that no action or inaction should cause harm to yourself (or others). If you feel you need support then involving a colleague, trusted friend or elected health and safety representative may help to make issues clearer, and canvas all possible solutions. 1 A key element in the current New Zealand legislation is that all work can be stressful and that most employees can expect to experience some level of stress at work. If the level of stress is unreasonable then the stress is excessive and needs attention to protect health and safety. Defining reasonable stress is subjective and subject to individual differences as illustrated in Figure 1. If most people will not cope with the stresses, they should be regarded as excessive. Reviewed July

3 You are expected to manage pressures and demands of matters which lie in your personal control, and let your manager know the impacts of demands over which you have no control. Manager s Responsibility Managers at all levels have a key role to play in considering the workload and health implications of decisions involving staff. It is a formal responsibility of managers to ensure a safe workplace by; Identifying and responding to issues of work-related stress. Monitoring workload and addressing workload issues collectively in compliance with the University Workloads policy and in individual performance review and planning. Ensure that hazard assessment is completed to evaluate stress issues for each position. Some positions are more inherently stressful than others. The law distinguishes between a position s natural stress, and additional, unnecessary stress that can be avoided by an employer taking appropriate preventative action. Watching for signs that a staff member may be stressed, and follow up. For example, this could include their attitude at work, or the person taking a large number of sick days. Organising work so the job context and content place reasonable demands. Context and content are explained in more detail in Appendix 4. Other factors that may be involved with work related stress Stress is minimised in an organisation where there exists mutual trust, promotion of selfesteem, shared objectives and common goals. More vigilance may be needed of employees who are required to work in more stressful situations. Employees in naturally stressful positions may be pushed over the edge more easily. Some individuals are more susceptible to suffering from stress than others. If someone informs a manager that someone else is stressed, the manager has a responsibility to follow it up in an appropriate and sensitive manner. Adequate staff support in stressful times will help. Interpersonal relationships at work may influence coping ability. Measures to Prevent Stress or to Mitigate its Consequences (From Department of Labour, Stress and Fatigue; their impact on health and safety in the workplace) Four broad types of strategy for preventing stress are listed below. Primary prevention (elimination) - reduce the extent of and/or impact of stressors. Secondary prevention - increase the goodness of fit between people and tasks by selection or training, and provide support for people at work. Tertiary prevention (minimisation) - alter the way people perceive and deal with the demands (and the effects of these demands) placed on them the typical stress management approach. Appendix 3 outlines hazard management control in the identification and assessment of hazards in the workplace that lead to stress. Reviewed July

4 References Information in these pages has been drawn from the following sources, which should be consulted for more detail. Department of Labour (1998). Stress and Fatigue; their impact on health and safety in the workplace. UK Health and Safety Executive. Tackling work-related stress - a guide for employees. University of Huddersfield, (2000). Staff policy and procedures document for the management of stress at work. Department of Labour, (2003). Healthy Work: Managing stress in the workplace. Reviewed July

5 Appendix 1 How (and why) does stress affect us? Stress is a complex issue and no two individuals will be affected in the same way by either work requirements or the work environment. Employers should be alert to signs of stress in their employees. But employers can only manage stress or fatigue situations they can reasonably be aware of. So employees experiencing workplace stress should tell their employers about the stress they are experiencing. There should be systems in place that give employees confidence that if they report their situation to their employer, manager, or supervisor everything possible will be done to deal with their problem. In practice, it can be helpful to think of stress in terms of a simple bucket model: The bucket model suggests that stress and fatigue result when a person s reservoir of personal resilience is drained faster than it is replenished. Things like interesting work, supportive relationships, good health and rest fill the bucket. Difficult working conditions, conflict at work, emotionally draining work, excess (or not enough) work and difficulties at home can drain the bucket. You are coping when you maintain the balance between these factors. As the bucket model shows, there s no point in filling the bucket if stressors keep draining it quickly. Control of stressors is frequently needed to plug the holes, or at least reduce their size in order to prevent stress building up. Reviewed July

6 Appendix 2 Examples of responses to stress (adapted from Department of Labour, 1998) Responses to stress Personal Symptoms and Signs Physiological Behavioural Cognitive Emotional Raised blood pressure Chest pains Palpitations Hyperventilation Headaches Gastro-intestinal disorders Sleep disorders Fatigue Poor sleep patterns Reduced reaction times Erratic behaviour Difficulties in concentrating and with memory Inability to make decisions Depressed mood states Anxiety Irritability Loss of confidence Emotional exhaustion Cynicism Organisation Symptoms Changing organisational factors may be more productive than concentrating on personal factors Physiological Behavioural Cognitive Emotional Not applicable High absenteeism/sick leave High staff turnover Poor industrial relations Poor quality and productivity Increased accident and illness rates Increased stress claims, retirement rates, utilisation of EAP services and grievance procedures Poor decision making Low morale Loss of employee contribution to planning and process improvement Reviewed July

7 Appendix 3 Stress hazards and Solutions (adapted from Department of Labour, 1998) Stress hazards and Solutions Identified Hazards Suggested Solutions Intensity and duration of physical and mental effort Excessive physical work Discussion with staff and examination of accident and injury rates will indicate when work is exceeding the physical abilities of the people doing it. A number of practical alternatives are available. Elimination Isolation Minimisation Mechanisation of manual tasks. Restricting physical work to specially trained individuals Increasing the staffing, increasing rest periods or changing the work process to avoid excessive peaks of demand or excessive sustained physical effort. Too little mental and physical activity Complete inactivity is a stressor in its own right, leading to boredom. If elimination or isolation is impracticable, a simple solution may be job rotation to other more active jobs. Redesign the job/work to provide more stimulation or challenge. Excessive mental activity Evidence suggests that people are able to cope in the short term with very high mental demands, but that a lack of recuperative periods leads to chronic mental fatigue with deterioration in job performance. If elimination or isolation are impracticable, possible solutions to minimise the hazard will include ensuring that there are enough staff to do the job, job rotation, planning work to minimise peaks in workloads, enforced rest periods, introduction of training routines at preset periods and ensuring staff take appropriate holidays. Environment comfort factors Lighting, noise, workstation design These basic aspects of workplace hygiene are more straightforward to identify, assess and control, compared to the complexities of the other factors relevant to stress in the workplace. See Occupational Overuse information on lighting and design in health and safety homepage. Lack of mental and emotional well-being Support and resources in the face of responsibilities, worries, conflicts and social interactions The positive aspects of work, when catered for, increase the enjoyment of work. Managers should be aware of the risks of placing impossible demands on employees. If employees are expected to accept added responsibilities and accountabilities, this must be accompanied by appropriate training and resources so that employees can meet these additional expectations. Reviewed July

8 Where the home and work interfaces are combining to upset an employee s mental and emotional well-being, the EAP should be used to allow the employee access to appropriate services to help resolve these conflicts. A flexible approach to sick/holiday leave will often allow people to resolve these problems themselves. The organisational demands of work Factors to consider in the design of work and tasks to eliminate or minimise stress are listed below: Control The provision of some control over the appropriate aspects of the work and the workplace, through; participative decision-making; performance monitoring with feedback to individuals. greater autonomy where appropriate and feasible Uncertainty/ambiguity clarity in work assignments clarity in reward systems Support Support for those with; a high responsibility for people, continued exposure to client/customer groups; social or physical isolation excessive work pressures and demands Conflict Clear and stable job descriptions and task assignments, Supportive supervisory styles, Participative decision-making, Prior agreed mechanisms to reduce conflict, Open discussion of potential and real conflicts, Resources equal to demands. Demands Jobs with a variety of skills, abilities and knowledge; Boring and/or paced work reduced to a minimum or shared equally among staff, Demands of the job and the abilities of the individual are equated, Constructive feedback about performance is given to all. Employment, redundancy, Open communication between employers and employees Reviewed July

9 tenure, security about these issues allows both groups to plan ahead with a clear picture in mind. Timely and free flow of information, to reduce uncertainty. State of health and physical wellbeing Health, nutrition, exercise Circadian rhythm Sleep Managers should encourage the early reporting of health problems by the employee. Other initiatives include; Sympathetic and active rehabilitation programme for those with illness or injury, Healthy living information to staff, Encourage such positive health actions as getting adequate exercise (e.g. supporting workplace sports teams), Ensure meal breaks are taken, Smoke-free workplace. Where shift-work is a requirement of the process shift rosters are designed in consultation with staff. Information provided about the impact of shift-work (including its effects on circadian rhythm and rest time) and about coping strategies, to all staff entering shiftwork, as well as providing updated information for those already in shift-work, and for roster designers. Ensure that rosters and demands permit adequate rest time for employees to be able to arrive at work well rested. For shift work this will require consideration on the circadian variation in the person s ability to obtain sleep. Rest breaks between shift-cycles need to be sufficient to permit full recovery from any sleep loss accrued during the shift cycle. Reviewed July

10 Appendix 4 Context and Content of Work The context in which the work takes place Work characteristic Conditions predisposing to stress Organisational function and culture Rigid work practices people unable to work out their own solutions to the day-to-day problems they encounter (in the workplace). Poor communication within the workplace. A non-supportive work culture concerns and requests are dismissed without consideration. Role in organisation Role or task ambiguity / uncertainty (for example), people are unsure about what they should be doing. Role conflict (from) imprecise or conflicting job descriptions. Role overload either in direct reports or job dimension. Career development Career uncertainty or stagnation (where the employer has no jobs with greater responsibility or content to offer). Poor status or status incongruity a mismatch between qualifications and job demands. Poor pay. Job insecurity and fear of redundancy. A low social value of the employee s work. Lack of rewards (status, self esteem, recognition). Decision latitude / control Low participation in decision-making. Relationships at work Physical isolation. Lack of control over the speed and scheduling of work. How decisions are made in the organisation. Control over the types of work performed. No formal employee participation system. Poor relationships with supervisors and fellow workers. Interpersonal conflict and violence at work. A lack of social support at work or home. Home / work interface Conflicting demands of work and home life. Low social or practical support at home. Dual career problems (having two jobs or juggling schedules with a working partner). Low supervisor support Lack of relevant and useable procedures to resolve work/home responsibility imbalance. Reviewed July

11 The content of the work Work characteristic Conditions predisposing to stress Task design Lack of variety and/or short work cycles Fragmented or meaningless work. Under-utilisation of skill. Continual dealing with customers Task exceeds person s resources or ability to perform. Workload or work pace Lack of control over work rate/pacing. Work overload or underload. High work rate or time pressure. Work schedule Shift working. The disruption to body processes caused by changes in shift work patterns especially when these are badly designed. Inflexible work schedules. Unpredictable working hours. Long or unsociable working hours. Work context Inherently hazardous work. No two-way communication on workplace issues. Reviewed July

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