UK STRESS NETWORK Enforcing the Stress Management Standards David Snowball HSE

Regulatory challenges Define harm Surface perceptions Establish cause and effect Distinguish between minor/serious harm Identify greatest exposures Intervene with impact and effect

‘Must-haves’ A sound methodology Robust and evidence based Straightforward to understand Straightforward to adopt Good targeting Wider acknowledgement Wide take-up

Sound methodology? Stressor - element of work design Standard – the measure What should be happening – descriptors of what good organisations might be doing

Target sectors Health Education Local authorities Government Financial sector

Legal The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (1974) General duty: protect the health of their employees The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999) Specific duties: assess risk, including risks to mental health

Conventional risk control hierarchy Eliminate Substitute Minimise Control at source Personal protection

Enforcement process steps Assess initial risk of ill health Determine risk gap Initial enforcement expectation Dutyholder factors Strategic factors Enforcement conclusion

WRS: intervention options Primary: tackle at source Secondary: individuals trained to cope Tertiary: eg counselling services

Primary Interventions Eliminate or modify stressors to reduce their negative effect on individuals

Examples –Follow the Management Standards –Redesign jobs –Clarify personal workplans –Prevent work overload –Flexible working arrangements –Commitment from senior managers –Improve communications –Increase participation

Secondary Interventions Focus on raising awareness and equipping employees to cope with sources of stress / pressure

Examples Promote healthy lifestyles Help managers to recognise the impact of managerial styles on staff Increase support from managers and co-workers Help develop other skills to deal with stress eg assertiveness, problem solving skills

Tertiary Interventions Treat the individual who is suffering from the effects of stress

Examples Counselling services Employee assistance programmes Managing the return to work

Stress Priority Programme Development DOING AWARE NOT AWARE NOT DOING EDUCATE Common agreements to: Risk assessment approach Terminology Evidence INFORM Develop tools/approaches Management standards Web site Joint initiatives ENFORCE Training for enforcers Joint initiatives/case studies Links to providers SELF REGULATE Continuous improvement Sharing Best practice

Enforcement outcomes Define what compliance looks like Select indicators for change Monitor and measure improvement Spread message Reinforce Review and repeat