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Stress at Work

Tom Mellish, TUC Health and Safety Policy Officer

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Stress at Work

The TUC’s Vision

No one should leave work at the end of the day less healthy than

they were when they started

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Stress at Work

Topics to be covered

• Stress – what it is and what a policy could look like

• Stress - and bullying - and alcohol/drugs

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Stress at Work

Definition of stress

“the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them.”

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Stress at Work

HSE research indicates that: • about half a million people

experience work-related stress at a level they believe was making them ill;

• up to 5 million people in the UK feel “very” or “extremely” stressed by their work; and

• work-related stress costs society between £3.7 billion and £3.8 billion every year.

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Stress at Work

TUC SURVEY OF TRADE UNION SAFETY

REPRESENTATIVES

1998, 2000 & 2002

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Stress at Work

TUC Survey

• 250,000 Safety Reps in UK

• Over 8,9200 in 2000, 5,350 in 2002 and 4,500 in 2004

• Over 1,000 from workplaces with fewer than 50 employees

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Stress at Work

Risks 2000 2002 2004

Stress 66% 55% 58%

Slips/Trips 32% 33%

DSE 36% 34%

MSD 45% 31%

RSI 41% 37%

Temp 31% 23%

Noise 26% 20%

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Stress at Work

Stress

Factors 2002

Workloads 99.4%

Cuts in staff 64%

Change 63%

Long hours 55%

Shift work 22%

Bullying 28%

2004

79%49%47%37%22%27%

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Stress at Work

• where there are over 1000 workers the percentage rises to 63%;

• overwork or stress is more of a concern in the public sector (64%), than in the private sector (48%) and this represents an increase in both sectors since 2002;

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Stress at Work

WorkloadsIn 2004 survey, 4 out of every 5 safety reps (79%) consider that workloads are a problem.Compared to private sector (73%), problem of workloads is greater in public sector (83%) and voluntary sector (77%).

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Stress at Work

Staff cuts up from third to second place as main stress related problem. Staff cuts identified by half the safety reps (49%) in the 2004 survey, show similar results to 2002 and 2000 surveys. They are identified more often in the private sector (53%) than in the public.

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Stress at Work

For individual sectors, as in 2000, cuts in staff a particular problem:

• Central Government (69%); • Banking, Finance and Insurance (59%).

Staff cuts more concern to safety reps in:

• workplaces with 100 - 200 workers (51%) and over 1000 workers (55%); and in

• London (57%) and the South East (54%).

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Stress at Work

• Safety reps in all sizes of workplace identified workloads as a major problem, but the worst are workplaces with between 100-200 workers (84%).

• Workload is a particular problem in South West England - 86% identified it as an issue related to stress.

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Stress at Work

For individual sectors, workloads are a particular problem identified by safety reps in:

• Education (88%);• Central Government (85%);• Health Services, Local

Government and Banking, Finance and Insurance (all 83%).

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Stress at Work

BullyingBullying still significant problem. Number of safety reps identifying it is just over one in four (27%). More often in the public sector (30%) and voluntary sector (29%) than in the private (20%).

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Stress at Work

Bullying is seen as an increasing problem since 2002 by safety reps in:

• Central Government (40% increasing from 37%);

• Local Government (37% increasing from 33%)

• Bullying more of a problem as size of workplace increases - 34% of safety reps from workplaces over 1000 compared with 18% in workplaces with fewer than 50 workers.Bullying particular problem in London (36%) and Wales (33%).

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Stress at Work

Sources of stress include:

• Job design – boring, no control, isolation, pace/flow,lack of breaks, too little/too much work

• Contractual – low pay, unsocial hours, long hours, excessive overtime, job insecurity

• Environment – noise, lighting, overcrowding, fumes, canteen, temperature

• Relationships – supervisors, sexism/racism, bullying, violence, communication, customers,

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Observational:Workers may act differently when stressed

Mood changes:• bad moods• aggression• irritability• irrationality • overreacting• negativity• Indecisive-

ness

Behaviour change:• forgetfulness • mistakes • accident

prone • speaking too

loud/fast• personal

appearance

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Stress at Work

Organisational

In an organisation stress maymanifest itself as:• High levels of sickness and

absence• High accident rates• High turnover of staff• Low morale• Low productivity• Bullying

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Stress at Work Self-reportedphysical and emotional symptoms of stress• Headaches• Aches and

pains• Nausea or

dizziness • Lethargy• Unexplained

rashes• Indigestion

and heart burn

• Low self esteem

• Poor concentration

• Loss of libido• Depression or

anxiety• Anger -

irritability• Panic attacks

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Stress at Work

An effective policy on stress should:

• recognise stress as a health and safety issue;

• be jointly developed and agreed with trade unions;

• have commitment from the top;• guarantee a non-judgemental

approach; and• apply to everyone

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Stress at Work

The objectives of a policy should be:

• to prevent stress by identification and elimination;

• to recognise and deal with stress through education, participation and co-operation; and

• to rehabilitate through the provision of independent and confidential counselling

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Stress at Work

Key to a stress policy is good riskassessment. This should include:

Physical environ EquipmentJob content Working timeManagement Training Service conditions Support

systems Managing change

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Stress at Work

Court of Appeal Judgement, February 2002

(Hatton, Barber, Bishop and Jones)• Foreseeable• Workplace Signs• Signs from the Employee• Prior Sickness Periods• Advice line

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Stress at Work

• Union Campaign for legislation

• HSE Standards on Managing Stress at Work

www.hse.gov.uk/stress/stresspilot/standards.htm

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Stress at Work

Provision of occupational health

• Access to OH services• Workplace OHS• Group OHS• Contracted-out OH• HSE’s Employment Medical

Advisory Service (EMAS)• National Health Service models• Community Services