Ensuring a Life-Work Balance UK National Work-Stress Network 6 th Annual Conference November 19 th 2005

November 2005Ian Draper3 Ensuring a Life-Work Balance  Work should be enjoyable, a positive experience and contribute to the overall well-being of all workers  Workers should not be damaged by their day to day experiences in the workplace  Working Time  Work-rate demands  Working conditions  Worker contribution to consultation on processes  Workers’ personal needs should be recognised  Employers need to ensure a balance between work demands and worker capabilities  OUTCOME? Goodwill and positive contributions

November 2005Ian Draper4 Ensuring a Life-Work Balance  Causes of Stress are wide and varied  Recognition by employers of their responsibilities and duty of care  Work pressures affect personal relationships - affect Work  External pressures have major influence on performance at work  Avoidance of the “leave your baggage at home” culture  Preserve the workforce rather than rejecting it  Fit the work to the worker not the worker to the work

November 2005Ian Draper5 Ensuring a Life-Work Balance  Creating an acceptable framework within which the worker and the workplace/business can benefit  Agreed Leave policies  Family Friendly policies  Acknowledgement of care responsibilities  Maternity & Paternity arrangements  Risk Assessments for maternity  Flexible approach to work rate and demands  Job-Sharing, Part-time working with no detrimental treatment  Flexible Working Directive  Flexi-time  Working from home?

November 2005Ian Draper6 Ensuring a Life-Work Balance  Flexible Working Directive  Allows for a formal application to change working arrangements for parental care  Employer obliged under statute to respond  Specific criteria for objections  Appeal process  Referral to Employment Tribunal with appropriate penalties

November 2005Ian Draper7 Ensuring a Life-Work Balance  Acceptable Rejection grounds  Burden of cost  Detrimental effects on meeting customer demand  Inability to reorganise work internally  Detrimental impact on quality and performance  Insufficient work proposed by applicant  Planned structural changes  Formal Appeal process  Right to Employment Tribunal for failure to comply with regulations

November 2005Ian Draper8 Ensuring a Life-Work Balance  Disability Discrimination Act and Sickness Absence  Recognition of condition  Duty of Care and “reasonable adjustments”  Temporary adjustments to contract enabling improvement in well-being  No barriers  Appropriate and supportive use of sickness procedures where possible

November 2005Ian Draper9 Ensuring a Life-Work Balance  Benefits to be gained from family friendly approaches  Better reputation as an employer with good Equality status and recognition  Happier workforce with less anxiety  Potential to reduce sickness absence  Improved productivity and shareholder benefits  Goodwill from the workforce

November 2005Ian Draper12 UK National Work-Stress Network Vision Statement  Caring Supportive Work Environment  Employer Recognition of ‘Duty of Care’  Health-enhancing work(place/practices)  Work-Stress Policy in all workplaces  Well-being at work provision ALL  Dignity in the workplace for ALL  Supportive Pro-active Occupational Health

November 2005Ian Draper13 UK National Work-Stress Network  Stress is endemic in much of UK Industry and especially Public Sector  Sickness Absence Costs  Mental ill-health  Workplace Bullying  Excessive hours/demands culture

November 2005Ian Draper14 UK National Work-Stress Network  Network & TU Action/Campaigning  Recognition and promotion of Safety Representative Rights and role  Effective Regulation and Enforcement  Employer corporate responsibility

November 2005Ian Draper15 UK National Work-Stress Network  Thanks to our Speakers  Thanks to you for attending  Thanks to our sponsors, both for today and for our activities  Thanks to the Steering Group for their support  Come and join us?  Sponsor us?  New Advice Booklet – draft version