Stress Management Policy

  1. Statement of Intent

The University has a responsibility for the health, safety and wellbeing of employees and recognises that their wellbeing is important to its continued success. The University aims to take a confidential, positive approach to preserve the mental health and wellbeing of employees by controlling, so far as reasonably practicable, stressors within the workplace through a risk assessment process.

  1. Application

This policy applies to all staff employedby the University.

  1. Definition of Stress

The Health and Safety Executive define stress as the “adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them”. Pressure can be a positive state if managed correctly. However, stress exposure can be detrimental to health. The University aims to reduce this risk to the lowest level ‘reasonably practicable’.

  1. Aims of the Policy

The University is committed to:

Ensuring that employees who have or have had symptoms of stress (whether work related or not) are supported promptly, appropriately and in an understanding and confidential manner.

Identifying all workplace stressors and, when necessary, conductingStress Risk Assessments to eliminate the stress or control the risks from the stress.

Providing managers with the resources and training required to manage, prevent or minimise and recognise work-related stress in the workplace (Appendix 1).

Providing employees with the resources and training required to recognise work-related stress and seek help and support when experiencing stress-related symptoms (Appendix 1).

This policy is underpinned by specific Stress Management Guidance (Appendix 1) which sets out the range ofmeasures that will be applied by the University in pursuit of the policy objectives.

  1. Statement of Responsibilities

5.1 Deans/Directorswill be responsible for the prevention, recognition and overall management of work-related stress within their departments.Ensuring that:

  • They familiarise themselves with the HSE Stress Management Standards and the University’s Manager’s Guide supporting this Policy (Appendix 1).
  • Support is provided to senior managers and line managers when they are supporting colleagues who are dealing with stress in the workplace.
  • There is good communicationbetween management and employees, particularly where there are organisational and procedural changesoccurring.
  • Senior managers are fully trained to complete Stress Risk Assessments and provide support locally to employees and teams with stress-related issues.
  • Recommendations of Stress Risk Assessments are implemented within their areas (Appendix 2).

5.2 Senior Managerswill be responsible for the local prevention, recognition and management of work-related stress within their teams and individual employees. This is critical as part of the management function and must ensure that they:

  • Familiarise themselves with the HSE Stress Management Standards

and the University’s

Stress Manager’s Guide supporting this Policy (Appendix 1).

  • Respond in a timely manner (two weeks)to employees experiencing signs and symptoms of stress by offering support and seeking advice from the Occupational Health department.
  • Undertake appropriate employee Stress Risk Assessments (Appendix 2) when they become aware an employee is experiencing or exhibiting signs and symptoms of stress, or if stress has been given as the reason for absence by a General Practitioner (GP) or if advised by the Occupational Health Department.
  • Support line managers in preventing and managing individuals with work related stress.
  • Refer to Occupational Health for an opinion on whether the employee may have a disability within the meaning of the Equality Act. If so, consider whether the employee is being treated less favourably for a reason related to the disability and whether there are reasonable adjustments that could be made.

5.3 Line Managerswill be responsible for the prevention, recognition and management of work-related stress within their teams, ensuring that:

  • They familiarise themselves with the HSE Stress Management Standards

and the University’s

Stress Manager’s Guide supporting this Policy (Appendix 1).

  • Respond in a timely manner (two weeks) to employees experiencing signs and symptoms of stress by offering support and seeking advice from Occupational Health.
  • Ensuring the recommendations of Stress Risk Assessments (Appendix 2) within their area of responsibility and regularly reviewing these / the action plan for its effectiveness.
  • Review any completed Stress Risk Assessments (Appendix 2) when they become aware an employee is experiencing or exhibiting signs and symptoms of stress, or if stress has been given as the reason for absence by a General Practitioner (GP) or if advised by Occupational Health.
  • Ensure a copy of the reviewed Stress Risk Assessment action plan is kept in the employee’s personal file and a copy is sent to Occupational Health for monitoring purposes.
  • Immediate support is offered to employees following a stressful event or those involved in the complaints process or who are involved in an incident/investigation. All meetings should be documented in their personnel file.
  • In carrying out Return to Work Interviews with employees, they are mindful of the potential for underlying workplace stress issues. Implementing action where necessary, such as a Stress Risk Assessment (Appendix 2).
  • In carrying out individual annual Personal Development Reviews (PDR) with employees, be mindful of the potential for underlying workplace stress issues. Implementing action where necessary such as a Stress Risk Assessment (Appendix2).

Appendix (3) details a flow chart to guide all managers through the process of completing a Stress Risk Assessment.

5.4 Employees together with their employers should have a duty of care to manage their mental health wellbeing,including being aware of their own signs and symptoms of stress and how to identify, help and support for these early on.This should include:

  • Awareness of the HSE Stress Management Standards and the University’sStress Employee’s Guide supporting this Policy (Appendix 4).
  • Raising concerns relating to stress symptomsto their line manager, a Health and Safety representative, Trade Unions, Occupational Health and / orHuman Resources as appropriate.
  • Participating in Stress Risk Assessment processes when required and working with line management to produce a reasonably practicable action plan to positively address the reported stressors.
  • Being pro-active regarding their wellbeing and seeking advice from their GP when required.

Appendix (5) details a flow chart to guide employees to sources of help for stress-related symptoms.

5.5 Occupational Healthwill be responsible for providing specialist advice on stress management, whilst also supporting managers and employees in implementing Stress Risk Assessments. Occupational Health will also:

  • Support employees who have been absent with stress, advising them and their line managers on appropriate plans to return to work.
  • Advisemanagement and Human Resources where it is apparent that work related factors are a major contribution to an employee’s stress.
  • Train all managersto identifythe signs and symptoms of stressand carry out Stress Risk Assessments locally.
  • Monitor and review the effectiveness of measures to reduce stress and report periodicallyto Human Resources and the Health and Safety Committeeof any changes and developments regarding workplace stress.

5.6 Human Resources and Health & Safetyare also central to processes to prevent and manage stress. They are key to ensuring that policies and procedures are developed and implemented. Different tasks may be the Human Resource manager’s responsibility or the Health and Safety Adviser's responsibility. These could include:

  • Understanding what work related stress is, what causes it and how it can be prevented and managed.
  • Working in collaboration with Trade Unions to develop suitable policies to tackle this issue in the organisation.
  • Engaging and communicating with staff about this issue and raise awareness – this may include working with trade unions.
  • Supporting managers and employees in preventing and managing individuals experiencing stress, including helping them return to work.
  • Ensuring that any reports (either Occupational Health, GP or completed Stress Risk Assessments) are proactively managed to reduce the risk of harm from perceived stress in the workplace.

5.7 Trade Union Representatives will be consulted regarding the efficacy of the policyand other measures to reduce stress within the workplace. They will also be expected to encourage employees to take advantage of support provided by the University where appropriate.

5.8 The University’s Health and Safety Committee, Executive Health and Safety Committeewill perform a pivotalrole in ensuring that this policy is implemented and will oversee themonitoring of the efficacy of the policy and other measures to reducestress and promote workplace health and safety.

1

Appendix 1

Managing Stress

A Manager’s Guide

Introduction

Teesside University is committed to doing all it can to minimise the stresses of work and to promote the wellbeing of its employees. While recognising that it is not possible to create a totally stress-free environment for everyone, it is important to ensure that all the factors that affect individuals at work are considered.

The aims of this Guide are to:

  • Help with understanding stress and stress related issues;
  • Provide the practical tools, support and guidance to enable effective action to tackle stress;
  • Provide personal and organisational strategies for managing stress.
  1. What is stress?

Stress is described by the Health and Safety Executive as the condition experienced whensomeone perceives that they are unable to meet the demands placed upon them. Stress is something we all experience from time to time and is a perfectly natural human response. What might be stressful for one person may not be for another.

We all need pressure in our lives to provide stimulus and motivation. However, stress is the result of an inappropriate level of pressure or overload. The challenge is to ensure that the level of pressure is at the correct level to maintain interest and enjoyment in all aspects of our lives, and that we have the coping skills to deal with the challenges that modern life presents.

  1. Legalisation

The Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) sets out a basic framework requiring employers, so far as reasonably practicable, to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all employees. It states:

“It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees.”

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999) requires employers to assess risks to employees’ health and safety and to take preventive action when needed. It states:

“Every employer shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of”:

a)The risks to the health and safety of his employee to which they are exposed whilst they are at work

b)The risks to the health and safety of person not in his employment arising out of or in connection with the conduct by him of his undertaking”

Within civil law, employers owe a duty of care to their employees. Employers may be in breach of this duty if it can be shown that:

  • The employee suffered an injury because of work related stress
  • The injury resulted from circumstances in the workplace
  • The injury to the employee was foreseeable by the employer

Stress case law has established these additional points:

  • If an employee is particularly vulnerable e.g. because they have a known history of psychological illness they are owed an extra duty of care
  • Bullying behaviour by managers may be negligent behaviour giving rise to a risk of stress
  • If an employee fails to draw their stress experiences to the attention of their employer, or fails to co-operate with an employer who is trying to help, then it will lessen their ability to make a claim in civil law
  1. The main causes of stress at work

Health and Safety Executive guidance sets out the approach an employer should take to ensure that stress is adequately incorporated within the implementation of general health and safety duties. These include encouraging good two-way communication, enabling employees to have adequate control over their work, managing the demands on employees, and providing appropriate information and support.

We all have different work experiences, stress sensitivities, and varied perceptions of excessive pressure, so there is no definitive list of the causes of stress at work. However, research has identified the following aspects of work as those most likely to result in reports of stress:

  • Lack of personal control
  • Prolonged excessive pressure to perform
  • Conflicting demands
  • Continuous threat of aggression/harassment or bullying
  • Ill-defined work roles
  • Poor working relationships/poor communication
  • Lack of recognition
  • Job insecurity/changes in the workplace
  • Excessive workload/excessive working hours
  • Monotonous work
  • Difficulty with balancing the demands of home and work
  • Coping with personal / domestic difficulties

It is worth noting that stress might also be the result of the sheer volume of pressures, none of which would be particularly troublesome in itself, rather than a single major event.

  1. The warning signs of stress

Reactions to stressful situations vary. They may be emotional, behavioural or physical. These checklists indicate some of the more common warning signs.

Behavioural signs of stress
  • difficulty getting to sleep
  • increased smoking/alcohol
  • overeating/obsessive dieting
  • moody/withdrawn/lethargy
  • low self esteem
  • accident prone
  • indecisive
/
  • finger or foot tapping/nail biting
  • pacing the floor/irritability
  • excessive concern regarding time i.e. arriving late, going early
  • loss of interest in personal appearance
  • loss of sense of humour
  • panic attacks

Emotional symptoms of stress
  • feeling overwhelmed
  • feeling depressed
  • intolerance of others
  • aggressiveness/anger
  • feeling suspicious
  • fussiness/agitation
/
  • restlessness
  • anxiety
  • despondency
  • loss of concentration and/or memory
  • feelings of panic
  • frequent crying

Physical symptoms of stress
  • headaches
  • dry mouth/throat
  • indigestion/nausea
  • constipation/diarrhoea
  • sudden weight loss/gain
  • ulcers
  • muscle pain/back pain
/
  • high blood pressure/palpitations
  • lack of energy
  • excessive sweating
  • rapid breathing/asthma attacks
  • tightness in the chest
  • frequent colds/flu
  • skin rashes

  1. The long term effects of stress

Most of us recognise and accept that we will encounter stressful experiences from time to time. These are short term encounters and when we can return to circumstances in which we are back in control, they are unlikely to do us lasting harm. However, when stress is prolonged, the early warning signs described previously have the potential to produce more lasting damage. Particular concerns are as follows:

Absence from work

People rarely want to be absent from work. It causes problems and a cost for the employer, presents difficulties for colleagues at work who have to undertake extra work, and can create feelings of isolation in those who are absent. When stress causes sickness absence, the loss of a working routine can add to the feeling of disorientation and may lead to prolonged problems. It can be difficult to anticipate when someone who is absent through stress will return to work.

Psychological issues

Stress is not in itself a psychological illness. However, prolonged stress may be a factor in the development of conditions such as anxiety, depression or panic attacks. These may be relatively mild and entirely reversible conditions but, if severe, they may be difficult to handle without specialist advice and support.

Physical illness

When stress is experienced over a long period of time it can be a contributory factor in physical illness. This is the result of the ‘fight or flight’ hormones building up over a longer time than was intended. Individuals differ considerably in their physical responses to stress but illness with a potential stress linkage includes stomach problems such as irritable bowel syndrome, musculoskeletal problems such as lower back pain, skin disorders and coronary heart disease.

Damage to relationships

Stress affects our mood and can make us irritable or withdrawn. We can also become obsessed with particular tasks, and neglect important relationships with friends, colleagues and family. In turn, this may reinforce our stress since we depend on such relationships to keep balance and pleasure in our lives.

  1. Managing Stress: Stress Risk Assessments

Eliminate or modify the cause of the stress.

This can be achieved through completion of a Stress Risk Assessment (Appendix 2). Both the employee and manager complete their parts of the risk assessment, then meet to compare and discuss the relevant stressors identified on the forms.

Regular risk assessments are a requirement of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations. The assessment of stress risks is the subject of supplementary guidance from the Health and Safety Executive who advise that stress risks should be assessed within the following six Stress Management Standards:

  • The demands placed on employees
  • The control individuals have over their work
  • The support people have in doing their job
  • The relationships people have with managers and colleagues
  • The nature and clarity of employee’s role
  • The effectiveness with which change is implemented

The assessment should follow a five-step approach:

  1. Look for the hazards
  2. Decide who might be harmed and how
  3. Evaluate the risks and decide what needs to be done
  4. Record the results of the assessment in an action plan
  5. Review and revise the assessment and the actions taken

Following completion of this, an action plan needs to be produced to positively address any identified stressors.

  1. Stress Action Plan

If the risk assessment identifies areas of concern, it is important to devise an action plan to:

  • Help set goals to work towards;
  • Help decide on priorities;
  • Demonstrate commitment to positively address the stressors;
  • Provide something to evaluate and review against.

The Health and Safety Executive has set out guidelines for consideration if there are problems within any of their key assessment categories. These are set out below and will help in thinking about possible actions to include in the action plan.