Anti-Stress Policy St John the Evangelist CE Primary School. January 2011

Transcription

1 Anti-Stress Policy St John the Evangelist CE Primary School January Definition The Health and Safety Executive defines stress as the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demands placed on them. Recognizing the possible symptoms of stress. Disturbed sleep Loss of appetite Dependence on alcohol or drugs and excessive smoking Poor concentration and indecisiveness, excessive worrying, increased irritability Recognizing the signs of stress in the workplace. Increases in overall sickness, particularly frequent short-term absences Poor work performance; low output, lower quality, poor decision-making Relationships at work; conflict between colleagues, poor relationships with clients Loss of motivation and commitment Poor time keeping High accident rates Poor morale 2. Policy At St John s School we appreciate staff as our most valuable resource. We aim to provide a safe, happy working environment where staff are challenged and supported to achieve their best for the children in our school and for their professional and personal self esteem. The above definition can become more plausible in the conditions of a growing educational environment such as that at St. John s. St John s is committed to: Managing stress at work and improving well being amongst its employees Increasing awareness and understanding of stress in the workplace Communicating the procedures and resources dedicated to the prevention and management of stress Eliminating or minimising the impact of stress on all St John s employees, thereby improving and maintaining the health of all staff, organisational efficiency and effectiveness.

2 This policy should be considered in line with the Oxfordshire County Council Stress at work Policy Responsibilities All staff and Governors familiarise themselves with the nature and causes of stress in the workplace. Maintain honest, open communications which, allows for concerns to be shared at an early stage and passed onto the managers, as appropriate, in order to avoid build up of stress/escalation of the problem. Where stress is identified as potentially being associated with a post, risk assessments as indicated in Appendix 1, and the use of support network indicated in Appendix 2, should be followed. Undertake risk assessments with their direct reports and that they take action to deal with the issues identified and minimize the risks or lessen the harmful effects as far as is reasonable practicable (Appendices 1a to1c). Promote and maintain systems of management and behaviour at work, which adhere to the principles, aims, and strategies of the policy. Other relevant policies are set out in Appendix 3. Ensure personal fitness to work and aspire to a healthy lifestyle Understand the Stress at Work policy and co-operate with managers in the prevention and control of stress, and in dealing it Report matters of concern relating to their or a colleague s health and safety at work to an appropriate manager. Senior management team need to be risk aware and take account of an employee s medical history, and traumatic events, health problems, disciplinary action, complaints about overwork and bullying, and ensure that staff have access to appropriate support. Managers should consider undertaking periodic audits of stress within the organisation and where necessary, make appropriate changes to prevent or reduce stress as much as is practicable. Head and Senior Management team will monitor and record stressrelated absences and liaise with the Occupational Health Service for proactive intervention as may be appropriate. 4. Learning and Development Senior Management Team will ensure that employees; Are adequately trained to fulfil their duties and responsibilities Are trained, as appropriate, in dealing with potential health and safety hazards that may be associated with the job that they do Are encouraged to develop stress and time management techniques. 5. Occupational Health Service. Employees with stress related problems or sickness absences should normally be referred to the Occupational Health Service for assessment and advice.

3 6. Monitoring Senior management team need to be risk aware and take account of an employee s medical history, and traumatic events, health problems, disciplinary action, complaints about overwork and bullying, and ensure that staff have access to appropriate support. Senior management team should consider undertaking periodic audits of stress within the organisation and where necessary, make appropriate changes to prevent or reduce stress as much as is practicable. Head and Senior Management team will monitor and record stressrelated absences and liaise with the Occupational Health Service for proactive intervention as may be appropriate. Appendix 1 Risk Assessment Stress is one of the most common reasons for sickness absence from work so a risk assessment is the cornerstone of the stress at work policy. It is when we look at the potential causes of stress that it can be proactively managed. Risk is defined as the chance that something will be harmed by a hazard. A hazard is defined as anything that has the potential to cause harm. Guidance from Health and Safety Executive (HSE, 1995) encourages risk in broadly the same way as assessments for physical risks. The HSE defines risk assessment as nothing more than a careful examination of what, in your work, could cause harm to people, so that you can weigh up whether you have taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm. The aim is to make sure that no one gets hurt or becomes ill. Potential Psychological Hazards The following six potential psychological hazards are as detailed in the Health and Safety Executive Management Standards: 1. Demands Includes issues like work overload/underload, work patterns and the work environment. The standard is that: - Employees indicate that they are able to cope with demands of their jobs; and - Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns.

4 What should be happening/states to be achieved: - The organisation provides employees with adequate and achievable demands in relation to the agreed hours of work. - People s skills and abilities are matched to the job demands. - Jobs are designed to be within the capabilities of employees; and - Employees concerns about their work environment are addressed. 2. Control This is how the person says how to do their work. The standard is that: - Employees indicate that they are able to have a say about the way they do their work; and - Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns. What should be happening/states to be achieved: - Where possible, employees have control over their place of work. - Employees are encouraged to use their skills and initiative to do their work. - Where possible, employees are encouraged to develop new skills to help them undertake new and challenging pieces of work. - The organisation encourages employees to develop their skills. - Employees have a say over when breaks can be taken; and - Employees are consulted over their work patterns. 3. Support Includes the encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by the organisation, line management and colleagues. The standard is that:

5 - Employees indicate that they receive adequate information and support from their colleagues and superiors. - Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns. What should be happening/states to be achieved: - The organisation has policies and procedures to adequately support employees. - Systems are in place to enable and encourage managers to support their staff. - Systems are in place to enable and encourage employees to support their colleagues. - Employees know what support is available and how and when to access it. - Employees know how to access the required resources to do their job. - Employees receive regular and constructive feedback. 4. Relationships Includes promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable behaviour. The standard is that: - Employees indicate that they are not subjected to unacceptable behaviours e.g. bullying at work. - Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns. What should be happening/states to be achieved: - The organisation promotes positive behaviours at work to avoid conflict and ensure fairness. - Employees share information relevant to their work. - The organisation has agreed policies and procedures to prevent or resolve unacceptable behaviour.

6 - Systems are in place to enable and encourage managers to deal with unacceptable behaviour. - Systems are in place to enable and encourage employees to report unacceptable behaviour. 5. Role Whether people understand their role within the organisation and whether the organisation ensures that the person does not have conflicting roles. The standard is that: - Employees indicate that they understand their role and responsibilities. - Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns. What should be happening/states to be achieved: - The organisation ensures that, as far as possible, the different requirements it places upon employees are compatible. - The organisation provides information to enable employees to understand their role and responsibilities. - The organisation ensures that, as far as possible, the requirements it places upon employees are clear. - Systems are in place to enable employees to raise concerns about any uncertainties or conflicts they have in their role and responsibilities. 6. Change This is how organisational change (large or small) is managed and communicated in the organisation. The standard is that: - Employees indicate that the organisation engages them frequently when undergoing organisational change. - Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns. What should be happening/states to be achieved:

7 - The organisation provides employees with timely information to enable them to understand the reason for proposed changes. - The organisation ensures adequate employee consultation on changes and provides opportunities for employees to influence proposals. - Employees are aware of the probable impact of any changes to their jobs. If necessary, employees are given training to support any changes in their jobs. - Employees are aware of timetables for changes. - Employees have access to relevant support during changes. Key Steps in Risk Assessment 1. Identify the potential hazards in the job. 2. Determine the risk are the potential hazards likely to have a harmful effect? 3. Evaluate the risk by: - Identifying what action you are already taking. - Deciding whether it is enough. - If it is not enough, decide what more you need to do. 4. Record the significant findings of the assessment and take the actions identified. 5. Review the assessment at appropriate intervals. Appendices 1a and 1b provide simple to follow risk assessment forms. In undertaking risk assessments, the how and why particular hazards cause particular kinds of harm in particular workplaces or work groups should be explored. Also, individual differences in the way people perceive psychological hazards at work should be borne in mind. One person s stimulating challenge could be another s high stress factor. In addition, stress induced ill-health may be caused by non-work related issues, which may in turn have a detrimental effect upon work performance. The use of a simple questionnaire provides an insight into the nature and quantity of hazards. This can be followed up by interviews and focus groups in order to get to people s local understanding of hazard-harm link and how the hazards can be controlled.

8 Indications for Psychological Risk Assessment Managers should carry out risk assessments in the following circumstances: i. Where psychological hazards identified above are suspected in the jobs. ii. Where there is low staff morale and/or a significant increase in general and stress related sickness absence within a particular group. iii. Where sickness absence and staff turnover within a group are consistently higher than the Directorate s/council s average. iv. Where there are high levels of employee complaints or where a group of staff, their trade union representative or Safety Adviser has requested a risk assessment. Action Once a risk assessment has been carried out, managers and employees should take appropriate and agreed steps to eliminate, control and monitor risks. Appendix 1a Risk Assessment Form This risk assessment form includes questions that relate to six potential psychological hazards that can be the causes of stress at work. These are job demands, control, support, relationships, role and change. Employees should complete this form and discuss with their Line Managers. Line Managers should analyse the findings of this risk assessment with the employee concerned, identify potential risk factors, agree an action plan, take action, record, evaluate and review. Line Managers should use the stress action plan form attached to agree, plan, implement and review the relevant actions. Managers may keep completed risk assessment forms in a confidential individual employee s performance review file or wherever it is deemed appropriate.

9 Potential Hazards 1. Is the amount of work excessive/not enough? (Please delete as appropriate) Please circle Does this have a harmful effect on you? 2. Do you have to work very fast or intensively? 3. Are you able to cope with the demands of your job? 4. Do you feel that you have a good deal of say over how you do your work? 5. Does your work provide you with a variety of tasks? 6. Do you have a good deal of say over decisions about work? 7. Do you feel that you are adequately supported in order to carry out your work? 8. Do you get support from your immediate superior when you are having problems at work? 9. Do you feel that you get help and support from your colleagues when needed? 10. Do you feel part of a team in which you are respected and valued? 11. Do you feel that your team relate to each other in a productive and co-operative way? 12. Are you subjected to unaaceptable behaviour at work such as bullying and harassment? 13. Do you have a clear plan of work which is agreed by you and your line manager? 14. Do you understand how your work fits into

10 the overall aim of the Organisation? 15. Do you feel encouraged to talk to your manager at an early stage if you are not clear about your priorities or the nature of the task to be undertaken? 16. Do you receive information about planned organisational change? 17. Are you given information to enable you to understand why organisational change needs to happen? 18. Do you have the opportunity to comment or ask questions about organisational change? 19. Do you have a personal health, family, relationship or financial problems? Employee... Signed... Date... Line Manager... Signed... Date... (The purpose of the Line Manager s signature is to confirm that he/she has seen and discussed the responses on this form with the aim of agreeing problem areas and deciding, as far as is reasonably practicable, an action plan).

11 Appendix 1b Risk Assessment Action Plan Name: Job Title: Agreed Action Plan/Control Measures Review Date Action Plan/Control Measures Effective? If not, consider alternative measure. Further Review Date Employee s Signature... Date... Line Manager s Signature... Date...

12 Appendix 2 Support Network Line Management Effective communication between line managers and employees to assess issues and agree action towards a resolution. Directorate Human Resources Business Partners Employment Advice Team in Shared Services Advice and help regarding appropriate employment policies and employee support services. Contact details are available on the intranet. Telephone: Occupational Health Service Advice on medical suitability for particular duties, counselling, critical incident debriefing, post traumatic stress counselling, stress awareness training. Telephone: For Fire and Rescue Staff. Telephone: Staff Care Service Counselling support for teams, mediation, advice and support for managers and post incident support. Telephone: Health and Safety Team in Shared Services Advice and help on Health and Safety matters including risk assessments for stress. Contact details are available on the intranet. Telephone: Trade Unions Colleague support, representation, advice and information. Worklife Enhancement Stress audits, action plans and training. Contact: Theresa Heys. Telephone: External Sources of Help and Counselling In addition to support from GPs the following is a selection of external sources of help and counselling. - Alcoholics Anonymous Al Anon Drinkline

13 - National Drugs Helpline NHS Smoking Helpline Cruse Bereavement Counselling Isis Centre Samaritans (Oxford) Samaritans (Banbury) Relate Helpline Relate (Oxford) Relate (Aylesbury) Relate (Banbury) Teacher Support Network National Debtline Rape Crisis 24 hours helpline Health and Safety Executive Website: HSE (2001) Tackling Work-related Stress: A Guide for Employees HSE (2001) A Managers Guide to Improving and Maintaining Employee Health and Wellbeing. HSE Books, Sudbury. Stress at Work Appendix 3 Career Break Scheme Comprehensive Equality Policy Dignity at Work Policy Disciplinary Procedure Domestic violence/abuse policy Drugs and alcohol policy Emergency Leave scheme Flexible working policy Job sharing policy Learning and Development Policy Maternity Scheme No Smoking policy Officer s code of Conduct Paternity Scheme Procedure for Monitoring and Managing Sickness Absence Raising concerns, Grievances and Whistle-blowing policy Redundancy Procedure Six Steps to Managing Performance Improvement Special Leave Scheme Violence at Work Working Time Directive