IOSH Annual Conference, London, June 2015

Professor Sayeed KhanMBBS, BMedSci, DGM, CMIOSH, FRCGP, FFOM, FRCP, FRSA, DM

Chief Medical Adviser, EEF - the manufacturers' organisation

Chief Occupational Physician, EEF OHS

Member, Industrial Injuries Advisory Council

Clinical co-lead RCGP NEP in Health and Work

Site occupational physician for 2 factories

Honorary Professor in Occupational Health, Univ of Nottingham

Stress and workplace performance

Stress and workplace performance

Thank you

Sharing some personal insights on Stress, from 25 years of OH:

RecognitionManagement (rather than medical treatment)Prevention

Individual (personal, employees) & organisations

Stress in the last 25 years…

[employers chose top 3 causes of long-term sickness absence ]

Ranked commonest causes of long-term sickness absence

Ranked 1

Back problems & MSDs 38.0%

Surgery/medical investigations/tests

24.1%

Stress/mental health problems

23.3%

Heart problems 6.0%Other 14.5%Cancer 13.7%

Stress in the last 25 years…

EEF sickness absence survey 2015

Last week, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry Patricia Hewitt said too many UK managers are like David Brent, from the TV series, The Office. Do you think UK managers really are as bad as David Brent?

Yes 66%

No 34%Personnel Today Poll expired on 03 December 2002

Stress in the last 25 years…

Recognition – individual

Early markers…no significant problems…yet•Come in early•Work late•Feel the need to work at weekends•Take home paperwork, don’t get the chance to do it, then feel guilty•Don't take all your holiday entitlement•No lunch break•Saturday morning headaches•Sunday night insomnia

Recognition - individual

Unusual response to a situation (irritable, unduly quiet)

Blaming others

Taking it out on someone else

Procrastination

Over-reacting (“catastrophization”)

Later markers…problems developing…-ve behaviours

Recognition - individual

Last markers…significant problems

Recognition - individual

Managing stress - individual

– Rapid intervention• Mediation

– Improve Rehabilitation.• Avoid waiting for people to get better by

• staring at the wall (“treatment” by sick note / fit note)

• Do get people to “come in for a cup of tea”• Don’t just look at work-related issues

– Identify other areas

Prevention - individual

Prevention - individual

Recognition - organisational

Recognition - organisational

Managing stress - organisational

Managing stress - organisational

Managing stress - organisational

Managing stress - organisational

Stress: HSE tool

Preventing stress - organisational

Standard “Hierarchy of control” approach• Eliminate

– Stress questionnaire

Preventing stress - organisational

• HSE management standards on stress

• Demands.

• Control.

• Support.

• Relationships.

• Role.

• Change.

Preventing stress - organisational

• EEF Work Organisation Assessment Questionnaire

• Relationship with management.

• Being Valued.

• Physical Environment.

• Workload Issues.

• Relationship with colleagues

Preventing stress - organisational

5th 5th“Relationship with colleagues”

1st 4th “Workload Issues”

2nd3rd“Physical environment”

4th 2nd“Being valued”.

3rd 1st“Relationship with management”.

Correlation with personal health

Correlation with job satisfaction

Category

Preventing stress - organisational

• Substitute– The Manager as stressor – “soft” skills training

• Improve control measures– Stress Awareness Workshops/training for managers and for

employees

– Wellbeing of employees

• PPE– Coping strategies in specific situations (complaints handlers)

– has its place in select situations (CBT in rehabilitation)

Standard “Hierarchy of control” approach• Eliminate

– Stress questionnaire

ST 100 Best Co1. Leadership2. My manager3. Personal growth4. Wellbeing5. My team6. Community giving7. My company8. Fair deal

Stress and workplace performance…why bother?

Thank you for listening

• Have you picked up at least one useful tip?