Post on 25-Jan-2017
Managing stress and employee wellbeing
Craig Page RGN.OHND.
Why does it matter?Why does it matter?
The legal caseThe legal case
•All employers owe a legal duty of care to their employees and injury to mental health is treated in the same way as injury to physical health
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations1999 The Contractual Obligation Equality Act 2010 (Formerly Disability Discrimination Act 2005) Sex Discrimination Act 1975 and Race Relations Act 1976 Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 The Employment Rights Act 1996, The Prevention of Harassment Act 1997 The Working Hours Directive
The business case:The business case:
Reduces absence
Increases work quality and performance
Reduces resistance to change
Improves relationships with customers, colleagues and suppliers
Reduces staff turnover
The HSE case via the Management The HSE case via the Management Standards:Standards:
HSE will and does prosecute
Aim is to reduce the levels of work related stress
Uses existing data such as sickness absence and staff turnover/surveys/focus groups
Helps simplify risk assessment
Encourages employers/employees and their representatives to work in partnership to address work related stress throughout the organisation
Provides a yardstick by which organisations can gauge their performance
www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards
The management standards cover six The management standards cover six key areas:key areas:
Demands – workload, work patterns and work environment
Control – how much say the person has in the way they work
Support – such as encouragement, coaching and mentoring
Relationships – positive working to prevent conflict and dealing with unacceptable behaviour
Role – no conflict and clear reporting
Change – how the company is managed and change communicated
The personal case?The personal case?
Socially and morally correctEach stress case leads to an average of 29 lost days
Work related stress costs 3.7-3.8 billion/year
IT MIGHT BE YOU!!!!!!!!!!!
What is stressWhat is stress??
Stress is the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them
When the individual no longer feels able to cope then ill health may result
There is a clear distinction between pressure which creates a buzz and stress which occurs when pressure becomes excess
What is pressure and stress?What is pressure and stress?
PRESSURE is the starting point of the stress process, the stimulus in the stress reaction
PRESSURE is inevitable but it is neutral neither good nor bad
STRESS is the physiological, physical and behavioural effects to an unpleasant or threatening stimuli
STRESS is the reaction people have to pressure. It arises when they worry they cannot cope. (HSE 1995)
When does stress become distressWhen does stress become distress The fight/flight mechanism is meant to be turned on and off in a crisis
When the mechanism is turned on continuously then the potential for DISTRESS can occur
DISTRESS occurs when pressure becomes a negative rather than a positive force and the stress remains unresolved
Doc. 1.Mission and vision/mission issue 1 4/11/04
PressurePressure
AdaptationAdaptation GROWTHGROWTH
STRESSSTRESS
DISTRESSDISTRESS
The relationship between pressure, growth and stressThe relationship between pressure, growth and stress
How do you recognise stress
May be acute or chronic
Acute - is like panic – racing pulse / flushing / sweating dry mouth/trembling
Chronic – headaches, dizziness, blurred vision, aching neck and shoulders or skin rashes
What to look for in your self and others Physical signs
Headaches
Tension
Indigestion
Breathlessness
Rashes
Frequent colds
Recurrent illnesses
Mental signs
Inability to concentrate
Worrying
Mistakes
Muddled thanking
Negative thinking
What to look for in your self and others• Behavioural signs
•Unsociable
•Restlessness
•Lying
•Reckless driving
•Increased drinking or smoking
•Emotional signs
•Irritability
•Tension
•Moodiness
•Alienation
•Dissatisfaction
Factors at work that create pressures•Working under time pressures•Too much or too little work•Monotonous tasks•Long working hours•Poor communications systems•Organizational change•Lack of understanding of goals•Lack of participation in decision making•Lack of control•inadequate or unsupportive supervision•Poor relationships with co-workers•Bullying, harassment and violence•Job insecurity/pay•Lack of recognition and feedback•Unfair or unclear performance evaluation•Workspace and environment•Noise•Temperature•Lighting•Conflicting demands of work and home
Organisational Symptoms of Stress
High absenteeismHigh labour turnoverIndustrial relations difficultiesPoor quality controlAccident rates highStrikesAPATHY/PARALYSIS
Cooper &Marshall 1976
Philosophy of Stress Management-the objectives
Prevention - control of hazards and exposure to hazards by design and worker training
Timely reaction - management and group problem solving of problems as they arise
Rehabilitation - enhanced support to help workers cope with and recover from existing problems
Stress Management
Level Individual Organisation
Primary Reduce the risk factor or change To remove the hazard or reduce the the stressor employees exposure
Secondary Alter the way in which Improve the ability to recognise they respond to risks/stress and deal with stress issues as
they arise
Tertiary To heal those distressed To help employees cope with by work and recover from work issues
Management responsibilities
Managers must ensure that the workplace is free as possible from stressors and will contribute to positive mental health through good management practice
The following factors can contribute to stress in the workplace:Lack of awareness and understanding
Poor EnvironmentStructure of organisationJob designWork relationshipsManagement styleCommunication systemsWork patterns
Managers should look out for
Poor performance at work
Uncharacteristic errors, memory lapses and indecisiveness
Withdrawal of interest for commitment
Aggressive behaviour
Immature or emotional behaviour
Fixation – repeating arguments, refusing to listen, insisting on inadequate solutions
A simple management technique to improve well being in the workplace
C ommunicateH onestO penessS upportT rust
Individual capability Remember that:
Individual capability variesA positive management style supports coping strategiesPeople and groups who may be at risk from stress may benefit from learning coping skills
Coping skills involveAppropriate assertivenessTime managementKnowing when to ask for helpAvoiding blaming individuals or negative behaviourSocial supportAppropriate lifestyle ; exercise: sensible eating: relaxtion and hobbies
Take responsibility for your own stress
How can I cope?
Defence mechanisms - denial, sublimation. Useful in short termIdentify personal strengths and weaknessesPersonal action plan- What are my strengths and weaknesses, What needs changing, How can this be done, What resources will be neededControlling tensionSupport each other – no back stabbingRealise that stress and mental health issues occur and can be solvedPsychological “self talk”Develop new coping strategies
Self TalkI am good at my jobI can deal with this problemI have coped with worse in the pastI made a mistake - I’ll learn from it
DO YOU USE WORDS THAT EXAGGERATE?
Terrible - inconvenientDreadful - annoyingCatastrophe - a nuisance
Changing your own personal attitudes, mannerisms and behaviour will affect the way others respond to you
Reducing the pressures of management
Time managementDelegation not abdicationPlanning skillsPriority settingBeing yourselfCreating stability zonesCreating trust in the workplaceLeading not managing
Anxiety States
Combinations of physical and mental manifestations of anxiety occurring either in attacks or persisting statesOccur out of proportion to the external threatAssociated with poor concentration, derealisation, depersonalisation, illogical thinkingClassified as Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Panic attacks or Phobic AnxietyModerate - severe disruption to life and workPrevalence of 6% with 2:1 female to male ratio
Treatment of anxiety statesPhysical exerciseRelaxation and anxiety managementGeneral CounsellingCognitive behavioural therapyAssertiveness trainingAnti-anxiolyticsAntidepressantsBeta blockers
Depressive statesDivided into psychological and physical symptomsPsychological - lowering of mood, low self esteem, pessimism, a sense of despair, hopelessness, helplessness, irrational ideas and thoughts of suicidePhysical - loss of drive and energy, impaired concentration, appetite, sleep and sex drive.Mood is variable and usually worse in morningMay be assoc. with delusions of guilt and psychosisAffects 3% of men and 9% women and has a life time risk of 12% men and 26% womenSocial and work factors are of great importance in precipitating attacks. NB ALCOHOL.
Treatment of depressive states
Cognitive therapy- helps to modify the negative assumptions, expectations and rules that are adopted by the personCounsellingMedication with antidepressantsRecognition
Support of an employee with a stress or Support of an employee with a stress or mental health problemmental health problem
Early recognition and prompt action is vitalRespect an individuals confidenceEnsure the environment is right for confidential conversationsEnsure confidential storage of recordsAccept that in some cases the individual may not wish to divulge informationListen actively and assess any complaintsEncourage them to seek supportSupport them through the bad patches / recognise them during the good patchesREMEDY THE PROBLEM IF WORK RELATED
Return to workMost people with mental health issues recover completelyCarefully consider shift patterns Fitness for work is not “all or nothing”- rehabilitation plans may be neededThe return to work is the start of the recovery process not the endMaintain liaison on a regular basisMental health illnesses may be covered by the Equality Act 2010 (DDA) . This may force you to make reasonable adjustment to the workplace and patterns of workIT COULD BE YOU!!!!!
Assistance for employees
Referral can be formal or informalPreferred route via the OHASupport offered by OHA, Doctors,counsellor and GPGeneral information on mental health and well being available from OHAExternal support groups