Transcript Public Health Wales

A Guide to Stress at Work
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What is Stress?
Key Terms
• Stress is an illness – not a physical or mental state
• Stress occurs due to prolonged periods of pressure without
time to recover
• Stress occurs due to excessive demands placed on people
• HSE Definition of stress:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/furtheradvice/whatisstress.ht
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Stress at Work
How Big is the Problem?
Facts
Facts
• One in five working
people, (estimated
at 5 million in the
UK) suffers from
high levels of stress
at work.
• 2010/11 – over
400,000 suffered
from stress caused
or made worse by
current or past work
• Each year stress
costs UK business
an estimated £673
million
Stress at Work
• Estimated 10.8
million working days
lost in 2010/11 due
to work-related
stress, depression
or anxiety
Facts
• On average, 27
days off work per
person in 2010/11
due to stress
• 2nd most commonly
reported in selfreported work
related illness
Causes of Stress?
Work Life
• Inadequate training and
development (high demand job
requirements & low capabilities)
• Low demand job requirements &
high personal capabilities
• Poor line management &
communications
• Inflexible working
• Lack of control over job
role/function
• Bullying/harassment
• Job insecurities
Managing Workplace Stress
Professional Life
• Family related issues
• Financial related issues
• Personal issues e.g. Problems
with weight, personal
injury/illness
• Social issues e.g. Experiencing
prejudice or discrimination, lack
of friends or support network
• Daily hassles e.g. Car trouble,
traffic, moving house, poor
living environment, problems
with neighbours etc
Stress - The Effects
Short-term exposure
to pressure
• Motivates improved performance
• Help to achieve goals
• Essential to provide relevant training
and skills to allow high performances
Long-term exposure
to pressure (without
respite)
• Stress
• Common mental health problems
• Other associated mental health
conditions – depression, anxiety
Managing Workplace Stress
Stress – Symptoms & Effects
in Individuals
Short Term
• Mood swings
• Disturbed sleep
• Changes in heart rate, increased
blood pressure & chest pains
• Sweating/reddening of skin
• Muscle tension
• Emotional outbursts e.g. Frequent
crying
• Butterflies in stomach/nausea
• Increased smoking, drinking or drugtaking behaviour
• Loss of motivation & self-confidence
• Dizziness, fainting, nail biting
Stress & Individuals
Long Term
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Anxiety & depression
Hypertension & heart disease
Skin conditions e.g. Eczema
Muscle stiffness/soreness
Loss of appetite
Ulcers, Irritable Bowl Syndrome
Decreased ability to fight infection
Increased smoking, drinking & drugtaking behaviour leading to more
serious addictions
Do you Have a Workplace
Stress Problem?
Key Signs to look out for in your workplace
• Increased staff turnover
• Increased levels of complaints and grievances
• Increased sickness absence
• Increased reports of stress
• Poor productivity & performance
• Customer dissatisfaction & service related
complaints
Managing Workplace Stress
Why Tackle Stress? – The Benefits
Economic Benefits
Management Benefits
Individual Benefits
• Comply with legal
duties – reduced
litigation risk
• Improved return on
training/development
investment
• Reduce costs of sick
pay, sickness cover,
overtime & recruitment
• Reduced staff turnover
= improved staff
retention
• Better absence
management
• Fewer days lost –
sickness, absenteeism
• Fewer accidents
• Improved work quality
• Improved corporate
image & reputation
• High morale
• Increased motivation &
commitment to work
• Work harder & perform better
= increase earning potential
• Feel part of team & decision
making process – accept
change better & more rapidly
• Improved internal
relationships between staff
and line managers
• Line managers can outwardly
show their duty of care
• People are happy and do not
want to leave
• Line managers demonstrate
good management skills improve their career
development & promotability
Benefits of Managing Workplace Stress
How to Tackle Stress
HSE developed 6 key factors for primary causes of stress – The Management Standards
http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/index.htm
Demands
Control
Support
• Workload, work
patterns, work
environment,
training
• How much say
people have in the
way they do their
work
• Encouragement, line
management,
work/life balance
How to Manage Workplace Stress
Relationships
• Promotion of
positive working,
zero tolerance of
bullying, harassment
etc.
Role
• Understanding
individual job roles
and larger corporate
picture
Change
• How change is
development and
communicated
within the
organisation
Management of Stress
Key Action Points
• Create a positive management culture through raising awareness within senior
management of stress-related issues
• Consult with employees on stress and raise awareness of the symptoms and causes
through training. Staff participation is important and employees should be
encouraged to contribute ideas on stress management and controls
• Utilise tools & templates to help manage stress within the organisation
• Provide clearly defined roles & responsibilities for all job roles
• Ensure employees are appropriately qualified and experienced in order to fulfil their
duties
• Monitor workloads regularly so targets are achievable and not seen unreasonable
• Allow work schedules to be flexible and well planned
• Encourage employees to socialise and interact with each other to help foster good
working relationships
• Consider the provision of stress counselling referral services allowing employees to
discuss issues on a confidential basis
Practical Management of Stress
How to Tackle Stress
Interactive Tools
•HSE Management Standards indicator tools
•Employee questionnaire http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/pdfs/indicatortool.pdf
•Tool user manual http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/pdfs/indicatortoolmanual.pdf
•Analysis tool http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/pdfs/analysistool.xls
•Help assess organisational performance over 6 key factors
•Line manager competency indicator tool http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/mcit.htm
•Employee questionnaire template assessing line managers behaviour & management
styles
•A practical guide to managing & supporting people with mental health problems
in the workplace http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/pdfs/manage-mental-health.pdf
•Helpful walkthrough guide for line managers
•NHS Stress at work self-assessment tool
http://www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/workplacehealth/Pages/Reducestress.aspx
•Simple online assessment of an individuals stress levels at work
Interactive stress tools
How to Tackle Stress
Helpful Links & Resources
•Example stress policy http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/pdfs/examplepolicy.pdf
•Provides template stress policy with illustrative information
•NHS – Top 10 Stress Busting Ideas – practical tips for dealing with stress
http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/stressmanagement/pages/stressbusters.aspx
•MIND – Guide to managing stress – detailed mental health information
•http://www.mind.org.uk/help/medical_and_alternative_care/mind_guide_to_managing_stress
•Help Guide – Stress http://www.helpguide.org/topics/stress.htm
•General information and guidance on stress at work
•Direct Gov – Workplace stress – information on bullying, harassment and grievances
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/HealthAndSafetyAtWork/DG_10026604
•HSE – Stress homepage http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/index.htm
•Access to detailed information on stress through the HSE stress homepage
Stress Resources