1•1 Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

Using the ILO SOLVE Programme to Promote the Quality of Work

and Social Dialogue in the Enlarged European Union

Dr. David GoldInternational Labour Office

25 January 2008

"Psychosocial Risk Management-European Framework" Berlin, Germany

1•2 Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

Case study

• 16-18 years old

• First job

• Lack of experience

• Lack of tacit knowledge

• Lack of formal knowledge

• Strong desire to succeed

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• High personal demand

• High professional demand

• Limited or no control over demands • Stress (Burnout)

• Violence

• Depression

• Addictions (Alcohol, drugs, smoking, cyber addiction, gambling)

• Inadequate nutrition

• Inadequate exercise

• Strong sexual drive

Physical

Biological

Chemical

Ergonomic

Psychosocial

Increased exposures to risks

• Occupational accidents

• Occupational diseases

Hazards Situation Level of risk

Outcomes

• Absenteeism, presenteeism, job loss

• Pain, distress, illness

• Disability

• Death

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Can Social Dialogue Play a Role in

Reducing the Risk of Psychosocial Problems

Related to Work?

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Disharmony at Work May Have Many Causes

• It was perhaps not so difficult when all the workers came for the same village or the same community.

• With the highly mobile workforce of today, workers may now, in Europe come for different countries, speaking different languages, with different cultural values

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Definition: The Ottawa Charter

• Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over their health and its determinants.

• This is done be strengthening individual skills and capabilities and the capacity of groups to change the many conditions, particularly the social and economic causes, that affect health.

1986

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The Karasek Model

Control

Demand

High

High

Low

Low

Source: Karasek 1979

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• The ability of a worker to discuss issues with an employer, without fear, gives a worker a feeling of control

• A higher perception of control translates into less stress

• Can the reduction of stress lead to a lower risk of psychosocial problems?

International Labour Office

Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

An ILO Educational Approach to Formulate a Comprehensive Policy and Actions at

Work to Address These Problems

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

Examples of the Scope of the Problem

• In Canada, 50% of workers suffer from a high level of stress (1999, Public Heath Canada).

• In Europe, 23% of workers reported overall fatigue (2000, European Survey on Working Conditions).

• In a US study, 32% of 586 nurses identified themselves as victims of workplace violence (Colorado Nurses Assn, 1997).

• In a study of 954 New South Wales police personnel in Australia, 20% would seek advice from work-place staff about alcohol (1999).

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

The Problem

Stress

TobaccoHIV/AIDS

Violence

Alcohol and drugs

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

Expanding SOLVE

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

What SOLVE Addresses of the Top Ten Health Hazards

• Underweight

• Unsafe sex

• High blood pressure

• Tobacco

• Alcohol

• Contaminated water

• Sanitation and hygiene

• Iron deficiency

• Indoor pollution

• High cholesterol and obesity

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

The community

WorkWork

The social environment

The family

The person

Factors Influencing Psychosocial Issues

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

Focus on the Individual

For the worker:

• higher risk of accident

• increased family or social problems

• stigmatization and discrimination

• deteriorating health

• physical or psychological illness

• pain, distress, disability and death

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

Focus on the Workplace

For the enterprise or organization:

• poor morale

• increased absenteeism,

presenteeism, turnover

• reduced productivity

• reduced profits or services

• higher costs

• reduced competitiveness

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

The Goal of SOLVE

Integration of psychosocial issues into a comprehensive organizational policy and development of action based on the policy

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

The SOLVE Cycle

Broadening organizational policy through SOLVE to include psychosocial problems

Implementing workplace action through MicroSolve modules

Evaluating workplace psychosocial problems and modifying the concept as needed

Identifying specific problems and assessing needs

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

The SOLVE Programme

• Briefing package for managing directors 2 hours

• The SOLVE policy-level course … 4 days

• SOLVE for mid-level managers 3 days

• Course for peer counsellors … 2 days

• SOLVE for course directors 5 days

• An introduction to SOLVE for workers 1 hour

• MicroSOLVEs (22) 1.5

hours

The SOLVE methodology moves from concept to policy to action

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

Adjustment to Culture, Ethnicity and Language through Simulation

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

Methodology

•Building an open attitude towards the subject

•Building a sufficient knowledge base so that the participant can apply knowledge learnt

•Applying the new knowledge through exercises

Each of the SOLVE elements follows an educational scheme that works in multiple domains of learning

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

• Within the 32 hour SOLVE Policy Course, there are twelve hours of role-play simulation exercises.

• Participants bring into the simulation exercise their cultural, ethnic, ethical values and apply them in a non-threatening policy building exercise.

• The simulation exercise is based on the concept that through social dialogue, problems can be solved and both quality and productivity can be assured.

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

What is the Policy-Level SOLVE Course?

• Provides tools to design a corporate policy including psychosocial problems

• Demonstrates the impact on workers’ families and communities

• Highly interactive:

• case study analysis

• simulation exercises and

• policy development activities

A 32-hour interactive programme for operational managers

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

Capacity to Organize SOLVE

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

Capacity to Organize SOLVE

SOLVE has been translated into in the following languages

• English

• French

• Spanish

• Thai

• Portuguese

• Russian

• Bulgarian

• Italian

• Arabic

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Addressing Psychosocial Problems at Work

For Further Information

Dr. David GoldSOLVE

SafeWorkInternational Labour Office

1211 Geneva 22Switzerland

 Email: solve@ilo.org Phone: +41-22-799-7515

Fax: +41-22-799-6878

Web site: www.ilo.org/safework/solve