Manager’s checklist for discussion

The employee may have completed a checklist of things they feel they are struggling at work. Below are a number of examples of steps that you may wish to considerin the short or long term that might support them feeling less stressed at work. The decision about whether they are reasonable or practicable to implement is a managerial one based on your understanding of the needs of the work. Work adjustments should not put other members of the team under duress or impact negatively on the work of the department.

Category: / Employee’s concern: / Possible adjustments to consider:
Demands:
Workload,
work patterns and work environment / Difficulty getting through workload in time available / Review the duties, deadlines and responsibility of the role, are they realistic?
Check are they doing more than they should?
Consider if team workload fairly distributed
Meet with other manager to negotiate workload priorities
Difficulty prioritising: provide assistance; consider Time Management Course (Learning Institute)
Assist with task planning, set parameters to remove/ control out of hours contact
Check all leave and appropriate breaks are being taken
Schedule work to reduce backlogs,
Review staffing levels
Stop email screen alarm, set specific email answering times
Working long hours
Experiencing conflicting demands from colleagues
Difficulty reporting to more than one manager
Worry about backlogs
Unachievable competing deadlines
Other demands of role causing difficulty
Constant emails / email backlog
Control:
How much say the person has in the way they do their work. / Unable to take a break when they need / Increase scope for individual to set work routine
Feeling unable to exercise initiative / Explore tasks where they could increase initiative
Insufficient/ unchallenging work / Review role content/ consider secondment/ project work/ opportunity for promotion
No say in work speed / Consider ways they could set own routines
No choice in how they organise your work / Seek comment from staff, consider tasks where this could be improved
Frequent interruptions / Consider protected working periods, clarify with team
Other control issues / Is assertiveness training an issue?
Support:
Positive feedback, sponsorship, & resources provided by managers and colleagues. / Unable to talk to manager / Introduce regular 1:1 with privacy + clarify when else they can talk to you,
Insufficient feedback on work Feeling underappreciated / Regular meetings, consider PDR Review how and when feedback given, acknowledge good work
Insufficient information/ training to do the job / Discuss perceived issues and provide for training needs
Job coaching or mentoring through Learning Institute
Insufficient support from colleagues / Identify more collaborative work+ role clarification when new tasks identified
Poor team communication / Regular meetings, minute significant decisions, ensure management decisions/ info re change passed on
Insufficient opportunity for training or role development / Facilitate through 1:1 meetings aligntraining with long term goals of role
Unclear about the purpose of the job / Review role and how it integrates with department’s goal, guidance re long term outcomes
Role: avoiding conflict in roles and clear understanding / Unclear what is expected of them / Identify clear goals
A conflict of roles / Meet with relevant team members to clarify, avoid overlap and improve co-operation
Other issue about role / Clarify further
Inter personal
Relations:
promoting positive work to avoid conflict & dealing with unacceptable behaviour / Feeling harassed/ bullied / Investigate and manage (see bullying and harassment policy) involve HR if required
Difficult relationship with colleague / Clarify expected behaviour standards
Poor team working / Team building exercise, identify goals, clarify priorities
Other issue with relationships / Discuss mediation with HR
Change:
How change (large or small) is managed and communicated in the organisation. / Concerns about job security / Consider concerns, address concerns and reassure if possible, consider referral to OH for counselling if distressed
Clarify reasons for proposed changes
Concerns about proposed changes to role
Lack of information/ consultation about change
Other change issue
e.g. travel issues, office accommodation issues, comfort,
Other / Increased home/ carer demands
Health issues
Travel / Consider how hours duties or responsibilities may be adjusted to enable employee to continue during this. Ensure review of any temporary adaptation is agreed. Clarify what can be reasonably achieved to ensure appropriate expectations.