Slide 1 Stress & Burnout in Prison Ellen Heuven

Slide 2 Outline Why is well-being an important issue? Why is well-being an important issue? Stress & Burnout Stress & Burnout How common are stress and burnout? How common are stress and burnout? What are the causes of burnout? What are the causes of burnout? What to do about it? What to do about it?

Slide 3 Why is well-being an important issue? Legal obligation Legal obligation Stress-complaints are the main cause for disability Stress-complaints are the main cause for disability Psychological workload causes +/-30% of the sick leave rate Psychological workload causes +/-30% of the sick leave rate EU countries spend +/- 10% of their GNP on stress-related complaints EU countries spend +/- 10% of their GNP on stress-related complaints The problem is increasing The problem is increasing Stress causes sick leave, reduction of motivation and flexibility, turnover and psychological and physical complaints Stress causes sick leave, reduction of motivation and flexibility, turnover and psychological and physical complaints

Slide 4 Stress vs. Motivation

Slide 5 Stress Process Stressor ST Stress LT Stress Disfunct Coping

Slide 6 Tired from work

Slide 7 Burnout Exhaustion Cynicism Personal Efficacy WORK- RELATED CHRONIC COMPLAINTS NEGATIVE ATTITUDES

Slide 8 How common are stress and burnout? Unclear extent of burnout among CO’s but: Unclear extent of burnout among CO’s but: More psychosomatic diseases More psychosomatic diseases High turnover, disability and absenteeism rates High turnover, disability and absenteeism rates Similar to police officers. Low EE, high DP. Similar to police officers. Low EE, high DP. More prevalent in treatment setting and among mid-career CO’s. More prevalent in treatment setting and among mid-career CO’s.

Slide 9 What are the causes of burnout? Demanding social contacts Demanding social contacts Aggression Aggression Emotional labour Emotional labour Role problems Role problems Lack of social support Lack of social support High work load High work load Routine Routine Career development and training Career development and training Working hours Working hours Social status Social status

Slide 10 Demanding social contacts Frequency contact inmates - burnout Frequency contact inmates - burnout Unequal balance investments - rewards Unequal balance investments - rewards Over-involvement Over-involvement Source of rewards Source of rewardsSuggestions Create openness about subject Create openness about subject Avoid excessive time spend with inmates (i.e. job rotation) Avoid excessive time spend with inmates (i.e. job rotation) Interpersonal skills training Interpersonal skills training

Slide 11 Aggression Traumatic sensitive professionals Traumatic sensitive professionals Increasing aggression Increasing aggression Not only severe forms of aggression Not only severe forms of aggression Aggression training + policy Aggression training + policySuggestions Procedures and agreements about disciplinary measures, aftercare, training, registration, training Procedures and agreements about disciplinary measures, aftercare, training, registration, training

Slide 12 Emotional Labour Managing emotions as “part of the job” Managing emotions as “part of the job” Human vs.. disciplinary emotional expression Human vs.. disciplinary emotional expression Signal function emotions Signal function emotionsSuggestions Training Training Task-rotation and well-balanced working schedules Task-rotation and well-balanced working schedules

Slide 13 Role Problems Guarding and treating Guarding and treating Differences in approach between colleagues Differences in approach between colleagues Humane approach Council of Europe Humane approach Council of EuropeSuggestions More treatment-oriented tasks and invoice vs. specialisation custody tasks More treatment-oriented tasks and invoice vs. specialisation custody tasks Improvement of communication between CO’s Improvement of communication between CO’s

Slide 14 Social Support Source of energy and stress buffer vs. Source of energy and stress buffer vs. Group loyalty and collegiality weakly developed Group loyalty and collegiality weakly developed Poor relationship between CO’s and management/supervisors Poor relationship between CO’s and management/supervisorsSuggestions Working in teams Working in teams Staff meetings Staff meetings Buddy-assistance newcomers Buddy-assistance newcomers Management development program Management development program Solid Information-system Solid Information-system

Slide 15 Work Load High workload: general and rising problem High workload: general and rising problem Too few people have to do too much work in too little time Too few people have to do too much work in too little time Financial cutbacks, reduction of staff, high absenteeism rates Financial cutbacks, reduction of staff, high absenteeism ratesSuggestions Hiring additional staff + temporary replacement Hiring additional staff + temporary replacement Time management Time management

Slide 16 Routine Repetitive nature of job causes stress among elderly low-skilled CO’s but: Repetitive nature of job causes stress among elderly low-skilled CO’s but: problem for only small minority problem for only small minority people’s work can never be routine people’s work can never be routine

Slide 17 Career Development Lack of structural career policy Lack of structural career policy Veteran CO’s: “locked in careers” Veteran CO’s: “locked in careers” Newcomers: Mismatch career expectations and reality Newcomers: Mismatch career expectations and realitySuggestions Career policy: PDP, performance appraisal, mentor system Career policy: PDP, performance appraisal, mentor system Criteria recruitment and through-flow Criteria recruitment and through-flow

Slide 18 Working hours 24-hours business, irregular shifts 24-hours business, irregular shifts Complaints increase with age and job tenure Complaints increase with age and job tenureSuggestions Reduction of working hours (i.e. part-time work, discouragement overwork, sabbatical leaves) Reduction of working hours (i.e. part-time work, discouragement overwork, sabbatical leaves) Design healthy working schedules (i.e. forward rotation, reduction night shifts, mini- breaks) Design healthy working schedules (i.e. forward rotation, reduction night shifts, mini- breaks)

Slide 19 Social Status Prejudices Prejudices Stigma disreputable job and marginal status source of stress and burnout Stigma disreputable job and marginal status source of stress and burnoutSuggestions Clear task description Clear task description Career management Career management Developing relations with wider community Developing relations with wider community

Slide 20 What to do about burnout Strategies aimed at the individual Relaxation, RET, increase awarness, improve self-care, promoting healthy life- style Relaxation, RET, increase awarness, improve self-care, promoting healthy life- style Strategies aimed at prison-organisation Job-stress audit, legislation, medical care Job-stress audit, legislation, medical care Preventive measures Preventive measures