Health and Safety Executive

HSE’s Management Standards for work-related stress

Debbie Thiara Senior Policy Advisor HSE Health & Work Division Email: [email protected]

For more information visit www.hse.gov.uk/stress

What is work-related stress HSE definition:

“…the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them.”

Scale of the problem

• • • • 13.8 million working days lost 245,000 new cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety reported in the previous 12 months Around 530,000 individuals believed they were experiencing work-related stress at a level that was making them ill Each case leads to an average of 29 days off work

Labour Force Survey

290,000 270,000 250,000 230,000 210,000 190,000 170,000 150,000 2001/02

SWI Estimated incidence of stress, depression or anxiety (for people employed in the last 12 months)

2002/03 2003/04 2004/05 Baseline Target 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08

Work-related stress, depression & anxiety:

Health and Safety

Industry statistics Incidence (new cases) of work-related stress, depression and anxiety, by industry sector: Rates per 100,000 employed

Health and social work Education Public administration & defence Real estate, renting & business Financial intermediation Transport, storage and communications Hotels & restaurants Wholesale & retail Construction Manufacturing 0 950 1050 1290 620 1110 490 570 650 200 230 400 430 600 800 1000 1200 1400

Source: Labour Force Surveys, three year average 2004/05 to 2006/07

Work-related stress, depression & anxiety: Occupational group statistics

Occupations with high incidence (new cases) of work-related stress, depression and anxiety: Rate per 100,000 employed

Occupation Rate Health and social services managers Financial institution & office managers Protective service occupations

Teaching & research professionals

Managers in distribution, storage and retailing Business and public service professionals Administrative occupations in government

All known occupations

2270 1620 1350

1330

1060 1060 1050 680

Source: Labour Force Surveys, three year average 2004/05 to 2006/07

“ Teachers and research professionals are amongst the most high risk occupations for work related stress ”

Work-related stress, depression & anxiety: %

20 15 10 5 0 35 30 25 28.7

15.8

2004

Percentage of employees reporting that their job is very or extremely stressful

21.6

14.3

16.1

12 2005

Year

2006 All industries Education 19.1

13.6

“ More education sector workers report having high-stress jobs than across all industry – the pattern over time is similar. ” 2007

Source: Psychosocial Working Conditions survey report 2007

Legal requirement

• Duties under two pieces of legislation – Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 – The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

The Management Standards

• • • • • • Demands Control Support Relationships Role Change

Model of work stress

Demands C U L T U R E Control Support Role Relationship Change E M P L O Y E E S

Individual symptoms:

• Raised blood pressure • Sleep & gastrointestinal disturbance • Increase alcohol/ caffeine intake • Increased irritability & negative emotions • Back pain: tension • Palpitations; headaches

Organisational Symptoms:

• Increased sickness absence • Long hours culture • Increased staff turnover • Reduced staff performance • Reduced staff morale and loyalty • Increased hostility • Coronary heart disease • RSI • Depression & anxiety • Burnout • Increased overheads • Reduced profits • Increased accidents • Increased litigation Palmer, Cooper & Thomas (2004)

The Management Standards Approach

HSG218 (2007)

Stress Implementation Plan

Ph ase 1

• • • Started April 2005 Approx 70 organisations from priority sectors Support from HSE inspectors, Occupational Psychologists, ACAS Senior Advisors

Stress Implementation Plan

Ph ase 2

• • • • Series of workshops, Healthy Workplace Solutions From Sept 2006 to March 2007 Help and advice on the Management Standards Over 1480 delegates representing over 1000 organisations

Impact of the workshops

• • • 56% agreed that the workshop has enabled them to present a convincing case for managing sickness absence.

72% agreed that the workshop gave them the knowledge they needed to take forward the management standards approach. 62% agreed that the workshop enabled them to convince other managers that changes in the way they manage stress and sickness absence are necessary.

Stress Masterclasses

Initial feedback – Overwhelming desire to take advantage of any help available – About 25% wanted to overcome difficulties in securing management commitment.

– Around 80% were still at an early stage of securing management commitment. – 92% of delegates felt that at least some of their requirements had been met but more than half (52%) still had some unanswered questions.

New Guidance

• Published in November 2007 • Aimed primarily at organisations of 50 people or more • Cost £10.95

• But it does include a CD Rom!

Summary

• • • Data suggests that the management of work related stress remains a challenge HSE will continue to work with others to promote the use of the Management Standards approach Future focus will be on a more holistic approach to the issue of health at work

2008 and beyond

• • • Further series of HWS workshops New revamped HSE stress webpages Targeting CEOs and Directors of public and private sector organisations with 500+ employees

Further information

• Visit the HSE stress web pages www.hse.gov.uk/stress • Email us: [email protected]