Stress Management Policy

Introduction

Tendring District Council is committed to protecting the health, safety and welfare of its employees and recognises that workplace stress is a health and safety issue and acknowledges the importance of identifying and reducing workplace stressors to the lowest reasonably practicable level.

The Council is committed to effectively dealing with work related stress and understands the adverse affects that stress may cause which may result in poor employee commitment and performance, increased accident levels and poor attendance levels.

This policy will apply to everyone in the Council. Managers are responsible for its implementation and the Council is responsible for providing the necessary resources.

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”. This makes an important distinction between pressure, which can be a positive state if managed correctly, and stress which can be detrimental to health.

The Three Elements of Stress

Stress can be seen to have three elements:

• ‘Stressors’ – Those factors which produce pressure and are therefore potential sources of stress
• Coping methods – The skills and strategies used to deal with pressure and manage stress
• Support systems – The range of possible sources of support, including formal support (work based support systems) and informal (partners, friends, colleagues etc.)

A well-supported employee is less likely to experience pressure as stressful as support enhances coping mechanisms. The role of the manager is therefore a pivotal one in the management of stress.

Sources of Stress

Stress has a variety of causes which may be either work or non-work related or may be a combination of both.

In terms of work related stress this may be caused by work design and the extent to which an individual has control over their work, as too little or too much work can be stressful, as can work which is too difficult or demanding for a particular individual.

Non work related stress may be as a result of personal factors for example critical events associated with major trauma, change or loss.

Stress is not necessarily restricted to work or non work issues and often an overlap occurs.

Stress Management Standards

The Health and Safety Executive Stress Management Standards define the characteristics of an organisation where risks from work related stress are being effectively managed. They cover six key areas which if not properly managed are associated with poor health and well being and so therefore cover the primary sources of stress at work.

• Demands – this relates to workload, work patterns and the work environment
• Control – this is affected by how much say a person has in the way they do their work
• Support – includes the encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by the organisation, line management and colleagues
• Relationships – relates to the need to promote positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable behaviour
• Role – refers to whether people understand their role within the organisation and ensuring they do not have conflicting roles
• Change – includes how organisational change is managed and communicated in the organisation.

Stress Management Strategy

The Council will take steps, so far as is reasonably practicable, to identify stressors and take appropriate action and offer appropriate support to staff to reduce the risk of stress. The Council will therefore:

• Seek to identify workplace stressors and introduce control measures to eliminate, or control, the risks from work related stress
• Consult with Trade Union Safety Representatives on work related stress issues where appropriate
• Provide training for managers and supervisory staff in good management practices where necessary
• Provide confidential counselling for staff affected by stress caused by either work or external factors where appropriate
• Provide resources to enable managers to implement the company’s agreed stress management strategy
• Provide Occupational Health support to help highlight and deal with work related stress
• Ensure Health Champions are present in each Department who may provide health assistance including in relation to work related stress

Responsibilities

To ensure stress is effectively managed all those who work for the Council need to be aware of their responsibilities in relation to stress.

Service Managers

Service managers play an important role in managing stress as they monitor staff and are involved in provision of workloads. Service managers have responsibilities so far as is reasonably practicable to:

• Conduct and implement recommendations of risk assessments within their jurisdiction
• Undertake return to work interviews following the sickness absence of any of their employees
• Be familiar with the Health and Safety Executive Stress Management Standards and ensure the standards are met when considering job design or dealing with employees suffering from stress
• Ensure good communication between management and staff, particularly where there are organisational and procedural changes
• Ensure staff are fully trained to discharge their duties
• Ensure staff are provided with meaningful developmental opportunities
• Monitor workloads to ensure that people are not overloaded with work and that any targets are set at a reasonable level
• Monitor working hours and overtime to ensure that staff are not working more hours than are allowed under the European Working Time Directive
• Monitor holidays to ensure that staff are taking their full entitlement
• Attend training as requested in good management practice and health and safety
• Ensure that bullying and harassment is not tolerated within their jurisdiction
• Be vigilant and offer additional support to a member of staff who is experiencing stress outside work e.g. bereavement or separation

Corporate Health and Safety

Corporate Health and Safety will assist in controlling stress within the Council and in particular have responsibility to:

• Provide specialist advice to managers and employees as requested
• Assist managers in conducting stress risk assessments when requested
• Conduct an assessment of employee stress when necessary and inform senior and department managers of the results and provide support in addressing issues arising from the surveys

Human Resources

Human Resources have the responsibility to:

• Provide guidance to managers on the stress policy
• Monitor the effectiveness of measures to address stress by collating sickness absence statistics
• Advise managers and individuals on training requirements
• Provide continuing support to managers and individuals in a changing environment and encourage referral to occupational workplace counsellors where appropriate.

Employees

All employees have a responsibility to:

• Raise issues concerning stress with their Department manager, Manager, Service Safety Representative or Human Resources
• Accept opportunities for counselling when recommended

Council Policies

This Policy should be read in conjunction with the Sickness Policy, Wellbeing Policies and other HR Policies.

Conclusion

The Council is committed to adopting a corporate and proactive approach to manage the risk of work induced stress and to support employees suffering the effects of stress, including taking steps to assist those who have stress which is not work related.

For further advice or guidance please contact Human Resources or Corporate Health and Safety.