Action on stress: Tackle the hassle!
European Week of Safety and Health at Work
What is stress?
The HSE defines stress as: 'The reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demands placed on them.'
Workplace stress is a big problem. But it can be tackled.
Workplace stress is an occupational health issue.
But it can also involve issues of equality, personnel and work-life balance.
What can Safety Reps do?
Identify that stress is a problem using the TUC Stress MOT pack.
Use it to indicate whether stress is present in the organisation, the number of workers who are suffering, the underlying causes and areas most affected.
Collate the information from different departments/areas.
What next?
Present the findings to your joint management/union safety committee.
Ask for a joint working group to be set up to draw up a plan and timetable for tackling stress.
What next? (2)
Ask the employer to carry out (in consultation with safety reps) a proper risk assessment in the departments/areas with the worst problems.
Jointly with management, draw up a plan of action on how best to deal with the problem, prioritising the worst problems, and those that can be tackled most quickly.
Partnership
Working in partnership with employers and others is the best way to combat workplace stress.
If the organisation failed the MOT…
Your employer will probably have little idea of how to combat stress. Working in partnership may be the only way to reduce the problem.
Safety reps will need allies. Setting up a joint working group will help you to gain allies.
Partners could include:
The safety committee.
Safety reps.
Health and safety professionals.
Human resources/personnel.
Senior managers and line managers.
Outside agencies working in health promotion (including HSE).
How to spot the symptoms of stress
Symptoms can be
organisational
observational and
self-reported
Organisational
In an organisation stress may manifest itself as:
High levels of sickness and absence
High accident rates
High turnover of staff
Low morale
Low productivity
Bullying
Observational
Workers may act differently when stressed
Mood changes:
bad moods
aggression
irritability
irrationality
overreacting
negativity
indecisiveness
Changed behaviour:
forgetfulness
making mistakes
accident prone
speaking too loud or fast
neglecting personal appearance
Self-reported
physical and emotional symptoms of stress
Headaches
Aches and pains
Nausea or dizziness
Lethargy
Unexplained rashes
Indigestion and heart burn
Low self esteem
Poor concentration
Loss of libido
Depression or anxiety
Anger/irritability
Panic attacks
The main causes of workplace stress
Demands of the job
Lack of control
Work-life balance and support at work
Relationships
Change
Conflicting roles
HSE are developing management standards in these areas
Stressors:
Demands of the job
Too much or too little to do
long working hours
inadequate time to complete tasks to personal or company standards
Boring or repetitive work
Stressors:
Lack of control
Pressures piling one on top of another
Pressures are unremitting or prolonged
Temporary work and fixed term contracts
Stressors:
Work/life balance
Balance of work with life outside
Lack of support from colleagues and managers
no recognition or reward for good job performance
Unsympathetic management
Stressors:
Relationships
Violence
Bullying
Harassment
prolonged conflict between individuals
exposure to prejudice regarding your age, gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity or religion
Stressors:
Change
Uncertainty about the future
Fear for job security
New management techniques including:
Lean Production
Business process reengineering
Total Quality management
Stressors:
Conflicting roles
Confusion caused by conflicting demands
Job requires conflicting behaviour
Now….
You know the symptoms stressed workers might exhibit
You know the symptoms of a stressed organisation
You know the main causes of workplace stress
You’ve got some idea of how to tackle workplace stress
So now it’s time to take the TUC Stress MOT
Then…
Give us some feedback
or by post at:
TUC Stress MOT, 136 Malsis Road, Keighley BD21 1RF
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