Keeping people well
Apply the HSE Stress Management Standards
The Health & Safety Executive has identified six key areas of work design which should be addressed in order to reduce levels of stress in the workplace:
- 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.
The Standards define the characteristics of an organisation in which stress is being managed effectively – some 60% of respondents to the CIPD absence management survey said they planned to adopt them.
The HSE has developed a useful free risk assessment tool, available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards
Establish an attendance policy
Formally setting out the organisation’s approach to sick pay, communication and rehabilitation and the responsibilities that line managers and people have can help to avoid confusion or embarrassment, and is the foundation for introducing procedures aimed at tackling frequent short term absence.
Apply the risk assessment approach you currently use to identify health and safety hazards more widely
Organisations with four employees or more have to undertake statutory risk assessments. You might apply a similar approach to identifying risks to wellbeing – such as potential causes of stress or assessments of workstation ergonomics (e.g. to avoid musculoskeletal injury from poor posture etc).
Ensure line managers are trained in bullying or harassment awareness They should be alert to the warning signs and have the confidence to intervene appropriately.
Introduce opportunities for flexible working practices
Schemes such as flexible hours, job shares, compressed working weeks or home working can help to balance the needs of the individual and those of the organisation.
Ensure people are involved and consulted about major changes to the organisation
Uncertainty and unanticipated change can cause anxiety, stress and may ultimately lower morale or lead to absence. Keep people involved and informed, and invite their feedback early in the process - perhaps through presentations, meetings or surveys.
Introduce access to confidential support for employees
For situations where professional advice and support is needed, you might introduce an independent welfare adviser or outsourced telephone helpline to whom staff can turn with personal problems. This may be part of a package of measures within an ‘employee assistance programme’.
Raise awareness of health issues among staff
Without imposing healthy lifestyles on the workforce, some organisations have found there is interest from staff in receiving information on healthy lifestyles or hearing an invited health professional talk about health issues.
Consider how the organisation supports people who want to be healthy in the workplace
Is there practical support for people to cycle to work, eat a healthy lunch, take regular breaks or exercise?
Review job roles to consider what scope there is to increase individual control
Lack of control over the pace of work, limited task discretion, lack of social interaction and monotonous or repetitive work can cause stress and lead to illness. Similarly, skill levels and the balance between effort and reward should be considered to ensure that roles within the organisation are not likely to cause illness by their very design.