Stress Toolkit: Model stress risk assessment
Stress risk assessment
Lecturers, technicians, instructors, learning centre staff
Number / Stress factor / Hazards / People at Risk / Existing Control Measures / Risk Rating / Further Action1
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contd / Demands / Heavy emotional demands
Managing conflictual situations
Dealing with aggressive and/or violent behaviour
Lone working
Dealing with over large classes
Unrealistic work targets
Workload too great
Tight deadlines
No opportunity to delegate
Dealing with conflicting priorities
Long working hours
Difficult to take regular breaks
Use of contract/agency/part time workers
Offsite/ multi site working
Over large admin workload / Job demands assessed
Job related training
Training
Student discipline policy
14-16 policy and risk assessment
Violence policy
Measures to reduce violent behaviour
Lone working policy
Timetabling structured to ensure lone working does not happen
Agreement on maximum class sizes and maximum workshop sizes
Achievable work targets
Job demands assessed
Workload agreement.
Reallocating tasks and increasing resources.
Provide more admin support.
Work life balance initiatives
Achievable deadlines.
Job demands re-assessed
Job demands re-assessed
Clear planning and communication of priorities by management
Workload agreement
Admin tasks delegated to admin workers.
Work life balance initiatives
Breaks to be taken
Workload re-assessed
Effects of such contracts on workers assessed. Permanent contracts encouraged.
Allowance for offsite/ multi site working
in workload agreement
Workload agreement
More admin staff to deal with workload
Number / Stress Factor / Hazards / People at Risk / Existing Control Measures / Risk Rating / Further Action
2 / Control / Unable to exert control over demands made
Unable to participate in the decision making process
Job changes take place without consultation
Lack of support from management
Lack of admin support
Too much work linked to deadlines and targets
No regular breaks/long working hours / Job tasks assessed.
Workload measured/reduced.
Safe working practices procedure.
Strategies to encourage staff to participate in decision making.
Consultation with staff before job changes
Two-way communication policy.
Support mechanisms developed, e.g. adequate resources for changes in the curriculum and job role
Provision of adequate admin support.
Tasks planned in advance.
Workloads re-assessed.
Cuts in working hours.
Regular breaks scheduled
Number / Stress Factor / Hazards / People at Risk / Existing Control Measures / Risk Rating / Future Action
3 / Relation-ships / Bullying and/or harassment from managers/other staff/students
Heavy emotional demands
Staff feel undervalued
Lack of line management support.
Poor communication – both vertical and horizontal.
Isolation in curriculum areas
Lack of social space/canteen facilities. / Systems for dealing with bullying and harassment, e.g. Bullying and Harassment policies. Equal Opps Policy. Complaints procedure – complaints treated seriously and acted on.
Safe working practices document
Staff development opportunities.
Measures to value staff’s contributions
Staff development and professional development opportunities
Establish cross institutional committees to generate ideas/involvement, e.g. academic board/working parties.
Half day meeting slot.
Measures to improve physical facilities.
Number / Stress Factor / Hazards / People at Risk / Existing Control Measures / Risk Rating / Future Action
4 / Role / Job responsibilities heavy and demanding
Unclear job description
Conflicting demands in job role
Lack of participation in decision making processes
Lack of support in job role
Organisational and job changes without consultation
Lack of promotion and career development opportunities / Job demands assessed
Workload re-assessed
Clearly defined job roles
Job descriptions re-assessed.
Clearly defined job roles
Job descriptions reviewed.
Strategies to encourage staff to participate in decision making processes.
Support mechanisms developed, e.g. adequate resources for changes in the curriculum and job role.
Improved consultation measures before changes take place.
Two-way communication policy
Staff development and career development opportunities
Number / Stress Factor / Hazards / People at Risk / Existing Control Measures / Risk Rating / Future Action
5 / Support / Over competitive culture
Management style confrontational not supportive
Lack of consultation with staff
Poor communication
Staff feel under valued
Lack of career development/promotion routes.
Staff given responsibility without the authority to take decisions / Analysis of ‘culture’ of the organisation
and measures to improve the working environment.
Management show concern and empathy for those they manage.
Staff consulted and participate in decision making. Better communications systems in place
Measures to value staff’s contributions
Provision of staff and professional development opportunities
Strategies to encourage staff to participate in decision making
Number / Stress Factor / Hazards / People at Risk / Existing Control Measures / Risk Rating / Future Action
6 / Change / Pace and intensity of change
New educational initiatives
High degree of uncertainty about work as the result of re-organisation, restructuring, redundancies or mergers
The impact of restructuring on workload and job responsibilities
Large increases in the number of part time/temporary/agency staff.
Changes without consultation.
Lack of participation in decision making processes. / Provision of time and resources to support new educational initiatives.
Improved consultation and communication about changes in ‘good time’ with the recognised unions
Job responsibilities assessed
Tasks re-allocated.
Improved contracts
Consultation procedures in place.
Improved communication strategies
Staff involved in the planning process before changes take place.
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