© prima-ef consortium evaluation of best practice interventions for work-related stress © prima-ef...

© PRIMA-EF Consortium

Evaluation of Best Practice Interventions for Work-related Stress



Aim of Study

• To conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of case studies of evidence-based, best practice interventions for:

– work-related stress– bullying and harassment at work and customer

violence

• In a variety of different occupational sectors, worker groups, enterprise sizes and European countries

– with a special focus on gender and SMEs



Best Practice Inventory

• A comprehensive literature review of case studies of psychosocial risk management interventions for work-related stress in different occupational sectors, worker groups, enterprise sizes and EU countries was conducted



Best Practice Inventory - Development

– Using the PRIMA-EF framework, best practice criteria was formulated and outlined

– Evaluation criterion for interventions:– Sector specificity– usable with different enterprise sizes– gender– Theory based– Adaptability– CSR and Social Dialogue– Quality control– Evaluation (including process issues,

outcomes and sustainability)– Benefits (including cost effectiveness)



Best Practice Inventory - Review

• The inventory was sent to a number of organizations and researchers/experts across the EU with extensive expertise in interventions

• These individuals were asked to review and evaluate the inventory.

• Appropriate feedback integrated into the further development of the inventory



Interviews

• Complementary data was collected through semi-structured interviews with experts who have developed, implemented, and evaluated interventions.

– With a special focus on work-related stress and workplace violence and bullying.

– Primary, secondary, tertiary- level interventions

– In a variety of occupational sectors, size of enterprise and from various European countries.



Interview: MethodologyInterview schedule

development• Inventory template used as a general framework of schedule

Participants Identified &

recruited• Identified by conducting a systematic review of literature on interventions (primary, secondary, tertiary level) from across Europe.•Interventions meeting best practice criteria were short-listed, and author recruited for participation via email.

Interviews

•Participants were briefed•Aims and objectives of project and ethics were outlined •Interviews were recorded

Results

•Interviews were transcribed

•Thematic Analysis



ParticipantsTotal Interviews

N=34

Primary-Level Interventions

N= 10

Secondary-Level Interventions

N=12

Tertiary Level Interventions

N=10

Organisational Representatives

N=2

UK Finland

Netherlands

Norway Denmark

Spain Switzerland

Germany Sweden

UK Finland

Netherlands

International

Portugal Sweden

Poland Germany

Belgium Norway

UK Finland

Netherlands

Norway Italy

Germany Sweden

UK Norway



Success Factors for Interventions for Work-related Stress

• Intervention Content: – Aspects and elements of design of intervention

• Theory-based intervention and evidence-based practice

• Conducting a proper risk assessment• Tailored-focus/ adaptable approach• Systematic and stepwise approach• Accessible to all key stakeholders and user-

friendly format• Comprehensive stress management approach• Competency building skills development.




• Intervention Design: – Evaluation of intervention:

• Strong study design with control • Planned systematic evaluation as part of intervention design• Intervention evaluation should be linked to intervention aims,

goals, and identified problems • Use of a variety of outcomes measures and evaluative

approaches (including process evaluation)• Short-term and long-term follow-up up over several time points• Comparative analysis across groups and sub-groups within

intervention




• Intervention Context: – implementation success factors:

• Top-down and bottom-up approach• Facilitate dialogue and communication among key

stakeholders• Raising awareness on psychosocial issues and their

management within organisation• Accessibility and usability of tools, methods and

procedures across all members of the organisation



Challenges and Barriers in Interventions for Work-related Stress Management and Prevention

• Intervention Context– Level of organisational readiness to change and the degree of

organisational resistance to change – Generating achievable and realistic solutions to the identified

problems and cultivating and spurring action to implementing intervention in a systematic manner

– Retaining and recruiting » management and organisational support across the intervention

process» Participation, involvement and engagement of workers

throughout intervention process– Individual-level

» find suitably trained individuals to implement program– Organisational level

» Adequately and effectively developing skills, abilities and sufficient dialogue with management and in the organisation; to promote the continuous improvement cycle

» Developing and maintaining trust and dialogue between the various stakeholders throughout the process




– Intervention Content– Initiating and designing tools that could be used by

management that are understandable, comprehensive, user-friendly, and responsive to the needs of organisation/ work group

– At the level of the individual » Developing an intervention that while it remains

focused and tailored, also addresses a large variety of problems and wide spectrum of ill health, distress and illness

» Knowing when to intervene (i.e., not too early, not too late)

– Comprehensive stress management and prevention» Due to a lack of “… research examining and

evaluating of these types of interventions” (Primary, Netherlands)




Intervention Design: issues surrounding evaluation

• Attaining a strong research design• Meeting the defined best practice scientific standards

(i.e., control group & randomization)• Using reliable/valid measurement, especially when

tailoring instruments • Sustainability: adequate period for follow up assessment

to observe ‘real’ changes• Giving intervention time “to root”• Attrition rates/ drop out rates• Maintaining organisational support and access• Rapidly changing nature of the organisational context

and the impact of turn-over rates




Intervention Design: issues surrounding evaluation• Economic Evaluation

• How to accomplish in a systematic way• Process Evaluation

• Emphasized as important and integral assessing interventions

• Selection bias • “worried well”. People that volunteer to participate in

interventions are often not the ones in direct need• Limitations of natural science paradigm in intervention

evaluation. • Challenge of systematically evaluating the

effectiveness of interventions within the continuously changing context of organisations



Corporate Social Responsibility

– The majority of experts did not link the use of psychosocial risk management to the promotion of responsible business practices

– however several experts spoke of promoting the health and wellbeing of workers as an integral element of responsible business practice

– Challenge: how to engage companies that do not demonstrate responsible business practice



Social Dialogue

– Social dialogue at enterprise level seen as success factor

– Several experts spoke of the importance of extending SD from the enterprise to the policy level• “…social dialogue is a valuable tool to make things

happen. You can’t start talking about empowering people to deal with their own stress if you have social partners that don’t understand what is going on. Social dialogue is the key”

– Challenge: • The lack of awareness in the various social partners

in regard to work-related stress and psychosocial issues in the workplace and negotiating conflicting political agendas



Special Issues: Gender

– Many interventions discussed did not directly address gender issues in the design of the intervention

• However, gender issues were indirectly addressed during the implementation of the intervention: i.e., if a problem was identified

– Many experts and practitioners agreed that gender was an

important issue in regards to the prevention and management of work-related stress.

• However, the challenge knowing how to address these issues more directly, and adapt and tailor interventions; whilst not introducing problems

– Key gender issues in relation to the management and prevention of work-related stress were: work-life balance, issues surrounding discrimination, career development and unequal pay

– Gender intrinsically linked to the larger issues surrounding diversity



Special Issues: SME’s

– Majority of interventions discussed had predominantly been used in large scale and medium sized companies. • Few used in micro or small sized

– Participants emphasized the need to adapt tools and methods for SME’s, this was seen as priority for interventions for WRS

– Challenge: getting SME’s involved, engaged, and actively participating in psychosocial risk management



Key Priorities for Action

Developing Capacity Building Programmes to support continuous improvement cycle

Evaluating and researching process issues and mechanisms that underpin Interventions

Developing the knowledge base on preventative approaches for work-related stress

Research into practice

Developing a framework on guidance and standards for work-related management and prevention and in their evaluation

Movement towards increased multidisciplinary research and practice

Awareness raising on psychosocial issues in workplace and work-related stress at the level of the employee and the organisation

Building the business case for psychosocial risk management

More research examining and evaluating comprehensive management interventions

More high quality intervention research and evaluation examining long term effects

Developing and maintaining social dialogue among stakeholders

Increased research and evaluation for organisational level intervention with a complex system



Conclusions

• Observed conceptual overlap between success factors, challenges and barriers and key priorities for action in the management and prevention of work-related stress

• Highlighting a increased need to translate knowledge into practice

• Important future direction:• Need to distinguish and outline best practice criteria

for the evaluation of interventions tailored to the perspective of the practitioner



Thank you for your attention!

Questions?


© prima-ef consortium evaluation of best practice interventions for work-related stress © prima-ef...

Documents

evaluation of intervention

smes primaef consortium

interventions primary

primaef framework

tertiary level interventions

evaluated interventions

primarylevel interventions

tertiary level interventions