Tackling stress at work

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1 Tackling stress at work Guidance for health and safety representatives Public and Commercial Services Union pcs.org.uk

2 Introduction As jobs are cut across the Civil Service, but often without comparable cuts in the work that Government departments and agencies expect their staff to do, those workers who remain find their workloads increasing. Many find that there is also increasing pressure to work additional hours to keep the workloads to a reasonable level. Add to this the continuing uncertainties about career futures, and the stage is set for a massive rise in stress-related problems. As part of our action on the National Campaign, PCS has produced this guidance as an opportunity to highlight the negative impact that the current rounds of job cuts, increased workloads and relocation are having on our members. This guidance explains what we want you to do to address stressrelated impacts. 2

3 PCS National Inspection Day PCS recognises the need to support and commemorate Workers Memorial Day every year on 28 April. This date, or thereabouts, should be used to hold a National Inspection Day as part of our work to further the national campaign and to highlight the vital need for decent workplace health, safety and well-being. On this day, we want EVERY Health and Safety Representative to carry out a health and safety inspection of the workplace but not a standard inspection; we want reps to focus clearly on the impacts on staff well-being that are arising from the ongoing programme of job cuts, relocation, privatisation, poor job (re)design, low pay and pay freezes, attacks on pensions and services. As part of the work for the local inspection, we are asking reps to undertake a stress audit, using the tools produced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to support the Stress Management Standards. In addition, reps could look at local absence figures, to see how much time is being lost due to stress-related ill health and identify other areas, such as staffing and resources for health and safety, that are being worsened by the cuts and lack of resources. Standard safety inspection issues should also be addressed, again with a particular focus on areas affected by the campaign issues. Once local surveys are done, as well as taking forward any issues arising with local management in the usual way, we are asking reps to send in the findings to PCS HQ, so that we can put them together to identify the overall picture within Departments and Agencies and across the Civil Service as a whole. These should be ed to healthandsafety@pcs.org.uk or posted to the Legal, Equality, Education and Policy Support department (LEEPS) at PCS HQ. Undertaking a local Stress Audit The HSE have produced a Stress Indicator Tool we have produced a version of this for use as part of National Inspection Day activities and the original can be found on the HSE web site at: You should aim to distribute this to all members (and possibly all staff, if you think that this might help to get a more accurate picture for your workplace.) Once these are completed, you then need to open the HSE s Analysis Tool the link to this is on the HSE web site at: step2/index.htm By entering the scores from the completed questionnaires into this Excel spreadsheet, you will then get a summary of the results of your workplace stress analysis. This will clearly show the priority areas within the HSE s Stress Management Standards that need to be addressed. Further guidance on how to address problems in specific areas of the standards is available through the HSE Stress web pages: It is this analysis that we are asking you to send in to us at PCS HQ. 3

4 Follow-up We are intending to bring together the findings from workplace audits both on an employer basis, so that Groups and National Branches get a better overall picture of current stress issues and also across PCS as a whole. We will follow up on this initiative by asking negotiators across PCS to look at how their area can ensure that the HSE Stress Management Standards are being properly applied at workplace and national levels. We would expect all parts of PCS to have embarked on negotiations on implementation of the Stress Management Standards and to have reported back to the LEEPS Department on their progress or via representatives on the PCS National Health and Safety Forum. We aim to produce a summary report, including details of the Indicator and Analysis reports for circulation to H&S Representatives and for posting on the PCS H&S webpages. Work, Stress, Health Report In 2004, the former Council of Civil Service Unions, in partnership with the Cabinet Office, published Work, Stress, Health, which was a summary of the findings from the Whitehall II study. Whitehall II is a long-term study of the health and well-being of several thousand Civil Servants, who are being monitored to help health professionals identify the underlying causes of long-term ill health and the differences in health between different social groups. Work continues on the Whitehall II project and further findings will continue to be announced. Among the many findings of Whitehall II have been: Evidence of the negative effect of job uncertainty; Problems linked to poor work/life balance; The impact that poor job design and control can have on workers; and The difficulties that can arise when the rewards do not match the efforts that workers put into their jobs. You can find the Whitehall II study report on the University College London (UCL) web site: HSE Stress Management Standards 4 The HSE have produced guidance for employers on tackling the problems of stress within the workplace. There is a significant correlation between the key stressors identified within the HSE s work and the core problem areas for long term wellbeing as brought to light in the Whitehall II study. This guidance should be read in conjunction with the HSE Stress web pages (

5 Work, Stress, Health the key findings The original Whitehall study, in the late 1960s, identified a clear social gradient in terms of ill health and premature death the lower one s grade, the more likely one was to suffer ill health and to die earlier than those in higher grades. Since 1985, Whitehall II has been working to identify the factors that contribute to this social gradient and find ways to address the negative effects seeking to influence both the approach of public health policies and the organisational interventions that can maximise well-being from work. Key areas where organisations can intervene to deliver positive health outcomes include: Achieving a better balance between the demands of work and the level of control that workers can exercise on those demands; Delivering effective support within the workplace, from both colleagues and managers; Ensuring a good balance between the effort expended by employees and their reward structures; Eliminating, as far as possible, job insecurity and, where unavoidable, resolving any such uncertainties quickly; Planning change, where necessary, to minimise the adverse health effects that such uncertainties can cause; Encouraging positive health behaviours; Organising working conditions and demands so that these do not jeopardise domestic and other relationships; and, closely linked to this: Developing policies and practices that enable employees to manage a healthy balance between work and home commitments. Understanding the HSE Stress Management Standards The HSE s Stress Management Standards focuses on six key areas of work that, if properly managed, can help to reduce work-related stress. HSE urges employers to work with employees and their representatives to implement the Stress Management Standards and introduce a process of continuous improvement. The standards are goals that employers should be working towards through an ongoing process of risk assessment, worker involvement and continuous improvement. The aim is to identify the performance, in key areas, of an organisation that is effectively managing the causes of stress at work and to provide employers with the necessary tools to measure their own performance against this standard. By highlighting the areas where individual organisations are failing to achieve these key performance measures, employers are enabled to target their interventions to areas that will have a positive effect for staff. The Management Standards cover six key areas of work design that, if not properly managed, are associated with poor health and well-being, lower 5

6 productivity and increased sickness absence. In other words, the six Management Standards cover the primary sources of stress at work. These are: Demands such as workload, work patterns and the work environment. Control such as how much say the person has in the way they do their work. Support such as the encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by the organisation, line management and colleagues. Relationships such as promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable behaviour. Role such as whether people understand their role within the organisation and whether the organisation ensures that they do not have conflicting roles. Change such as how organisational change (large or small) is managed and communicated in the organisation. You will note the close correlation between these key stress factors and the findings from the Whitehall II report. Defining stress and the scope of employer interventions In any work relating to stress, it is vital to ensure a proper understanding of the terminology used. HSE defines stress as: the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them. They go on to note: This makes an important distinction between pressure, which can be a positive state if managed correctly, and stress which can be detrimental to health. Pressures can come from many things, both within and external to the workplace; it is the combination of pressures on an individual that is critical. Similarly, there are many ways that different people deal with the pressures on them and changes in these circumstances can be just as detrimental as increases in pressures. It is vital that employers understand the complex interactions within stress management and that they recognise that the adverse reaction to excess pressure will be the same whether the source is work-based or external, but that a reduction in work-related pressure can assist someone who is feeling the negative effects of excess pressure, whether the trigger for the problems comes from within the workplace, from external pressure or from a change in coping capacity. Negotiating a corporate approach to stress management 6 Clearly the easiest and most straightforward way to deal with stress management at work is to negotiate a central policy and supporting procedures that apply across the organisation. All levels of the organisation can then be addressed as part of a whole. This package of measures should address: The policy approach of the organisation and senior management commitment to ensuring the effective implementation of the standards; (there is an example

7 of a stress policy on the HSE web pages [ examplepolicy.pdf]) The process by which the organisation will undertake a corporate risk assessment against stress factors including the allocation of specific responsibilities for the corporate risk assessment and monitoring The different approaches to be adopted by different layers/levels within the organisation to deal with stressors that are identified by the risk assessment Ways in which individuals can raise concerns relating to stress outside of the main corporate programme How trade unions and their representatives will be involved in the process. That the organisation realises that, whilst it may only be able to directly influence pressure within the workplace, this can still be effective in tackling stress primarily caused by factors external to work. Dealing with stress issues at other levels of an organisation Where a central stress policy does not exist, or where it becomes clear that there are different issues at different levels of an organisation, it may be necessary to conduct a risk assessment just for that part of the organisation. Generic assessment of the organisation as a whole may not identify particular issues the relate to individual workplaces or business strands perhaps because their size means that adverse results from that section of the workforce can be lost in the larger statistical picture. You may need to get the organisation to separate out the data for that particular part of the workforce or, alternatively, organise a separate datacollection exercise. Individual interventions The HSE standards recognise that their core aim is to secure safe systems for the majority of employees but that individuals may still experience stress-related problems. Employers still have a duty to deal with stress at the individual level and ensure that such individuals are protected from harm. Where there are key pressure sources within the workplace, taking the individual through the HSE s Stress Indicator Tool (see below) might provide insights into sources of pressure. 7

8 Undertaking Stress Risk Assessments The HSE recommend that stress risk assessments follow the standard 5 steps approach. 1 Identifying the hazards In many ways, the first step identifying the hazards has already been done the key hazard areas are those listed above: demand; control; support; relationships; role; change. Organisations may determine that one or more of these do not apply to their circumstances but the majority will need to assess the risks from all 6. 2 Identifying who may be harmed and how Most organisations will not already hold detailed data that would enable them to determine the risk factors associated with each of the hazard areas. To assist with this, HSE offers an Indicator Tool and an Analysis Tool to assist organisations in assessing the outcomes from their surveys. (See HSE website: step2/index.htm ) A cooperative approach to tackling stress, with management, members and union reps working together, is likely to provide the best environment to maximise returns from such initiatives. 3 Evaluate the risks and identify appropriate preventive and protective measures Having identified the sources of pressure within the workplace and which are the most significant, the employer will need to discuss suitable control methods for the risks. In the 1999 Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, there is a clear hierarchy for dealing with risks, as follows: 8 combating the risks at source; adapting the work to the individual, especially as regards the design of workplaces, the choice of work equipment and the choice of working and production methods, with a view, in particular, to alleviating monotonous work and work at a predetermined work-rate and to reducing their effect on health; adapting to technical progress; replacing the dangerous by the non-dangerous or the less dangerous; developing a coherent overall prevention policy which covers technology, organisation of work, working conditions, social relationships and the influence of factors relating to the working environment;

9 giving collective protective measures priority over individual protective measures; and giving appropriate instructions to employees. We would expect employers to follow this in dealing with risks from pressure/stress in the same way as for physical hazards/risks. Examples of strategies to control risks under the various headings of the Standards are given on the HSE website. 4 Record the findings HSE recommend that the outcomes from stress risk assessments are recorded in an action plan. (see ) 5 Monitor and Review As with all risk assessments, it is important that the assessment itself and the implementation and effectiveness of the control strategies are monitored and periodically reviewed. Conclusion Tackling stress beyond a single policy One of the clear messages to emerge from the HSE Stress Management Standards is that tackling stress in the workplace is about far more than having a Stress Policy and doing some training for managers about recognising stress. If organisations are to be effective in their approach to dealing with stressors in the workplace, it will require a wide range of effective policies and procedures that are put into place and constantly monitored to ensure that they are working efficiently. These are the sort of policies identified in the Work, Stress, Health report as vital for resolving stress and health issues through work. Examples of relevant policy areas for each of the key stress factors are given here though some policies will have impacts in more than one area. Demands Overall resourcing of the organisation needs to be sufficient to meet expected outputs to avoid general work overload. Methods of targeting setting for individuals must match to their experience and ability and provide reasonable output demands. Working environment should match legal and best practice standards. Effective work/life balance policies in place, so that staff can balance home and work commitments without undue conflicts arising. 9

10 Control The pace of working is determined more by the individual than by external factors, such as machine rate or demands to clear all work within a set time. Skills training is readily available to staff and they are able to take time to develop their skills. Working patterns, breaks etc. are within the reasonable control of the worker with managers encouraging workers to take appropriate breaks. Support Necessary resources to undertake the work are readily available and staff know how to access these including training. Effective counselling support in place for staff and staff knowing how to access this. Feedback (not personalised) from counselling support is given to employer and unions, to identify trends and highlight additional risk control requirements. Relationships There is a clear corporate message about avoiding unacceptable behaviour and it is well known that such behaviour, from whatever source, will be effectively dealt with. Effective policies are in place to tackle bullying or harassment. Effective policies are in place to ensure that unacceptable behaviours are reported and addressed, with minimal delay. Role Staff roles within the organisation are clear, to themselves and others, so that conflicting demands are avoided. Staff know how to address perceived role conflicts and managers are supportive and positive when approached. Change All Change is managed in a consultative approach. Reasons for change are explained to staff at the outset. Impacts of change are identified and clarified at the earliest point possible. Job uncertainties are minimised. 10

11 Further guidance For further guidance on the issues contained in this guidance, please check out the following websites: PCS Healthand Safety including anti-bullying and harassment guidance: PCS Well-Being toolkit: work/index.cfm Helplines for members, including Personal Injury, domestic violence and debt management: benefits/helplines_for_members.cfm#product_7cd24a2f-55eb-447f- 83C2E6CDEEF16AE3 Problems at work a guide for members: resources/legal_toolkit/problems_at_work_a_guide_for_members.cfm PCS Events and training, including on mental health issues: org.uk/en/news_and_events/events/index.cfm Time to Change, Time to Talk ending mental health discrimination: You may also wish to contact the Legal, Equality, Education and Policy Support Department at PCS HQ, 160 Falcon Road, London, SW11 2LN; Tel: ; healthandsafety@pcs.org.uk. (Original version created and issued March 2007, revised July 2011) 11

12 Printed and published by the Public and Commercial Services union 160 Falcon Road London SW11 2LN Telephone Tackling stress at work 4829 Guidance for health and safety representatives Public and Commercial Services Union pcs.org.uk

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