1. Health and Safety Executive Health and Safety Executive Debbie Thiara Senior Policy Advisor HSE Health & Work Division Email: debbie.thiara@hse.gsi.gov.uk For more information visit www.hse.gov.uk/stress HSE’s Management Standards for work-related stress

2. What is work-related stress HSE definition: “…the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them.”

3. Scale of the problem 13.8 million working days lost 245,000 new cases of work-related stress, depression or anxiety reported in the previous 12 months Around 530,000 individuals believed they were experiencing work-related stress at a level that was making them ill Each case leads to an average of 29 days off work

4. Labour Force Survey

5. Health and Safety Executive Health and Safety Executive Work-related stress, depression & anxiety: Industry statistics Source: Labour Force Surveys, three year average 2004/05 to 2006/07

6. Health and Safety Executive Health and Safety Executive Work-related stress, depression & anxiety: Occupational group statistics Occupations with high incidence (new cases) of work-related stress, depression and anxiety: Rate per 100,000 employed OccupationRate Health and social services managers2270 Financial institution & office managers1620 Protective service occupations1350 Teaching & research professionals1330 Managers in distribution, storage and retailing1060 Business and public service professionals1060 Administrative occupations in government1050 All known occupations680 “ Teachers and research professionals are amongst the most high risk occupations for work-related stress ” Source: Labour Force Surveys, three year average 2004/05 to 2006/07

7. Health and Safety Executive Health and Safety Executive Work-related stress, depression & anxiety: Stressful job statistics “ More education sector workers report having high-stress jobs than across all industry – the pattern over time is similar. ” Source: Psychosocial Working Conditions survey report 2007

8. Legal requirement Duties under two pieces of legislation –Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 –The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974

9. Demands Control Support Relationships Role Change The Management Standards

10. Model of work stress Demands CULTURECULTURE Control Support Role Relationship Change EMPLOYEESEMPLOYEES Individual symptoms: Raised blood pressure Sleep & gastrointestinal disturbance Increase alcohol/ caffeine intake Increased irritability & negative emotions Back pain: tension Palpitations; headaches Organisational Symptoms: Increased sickness absence Long hours culture Increased staff turnover Reduced staff performance Reduced staff morale and loyalty Increased hostility Coronary heart disease RSI Depression & anxiety Burnout Increased overheads Reduced profits Increased accidents Increased litigation Palmer, Cooper & Thomas (2004)

11. HSG218 (2007) The Management Standards Approach

12. Ph ase 1 Started April 2005 Approx 70 organisations from priority sectors Support from HSE inspectors, Occupational Psychologists, ACAS Senior Advisors Stress Implementation Plan

13. Series of workshops, Healthy Workplace Solutions From Sept 2006 to March 2007 Help and advice on the Management Standards Over 1480 delegates representing over 1000 organisations Ph ase 2 Stress Implementation Plan

14. 56% agreed that the workshop has enabled them to present a convincing case for managing sickness absence. 72% agreed that the workshop gave them the knowledge they needed to take forward the management standards approach. 62% agreed that the workshop enabled them to convince other managers that changes in the way they manage stress and sickness absence are necessary. Impact of the workshops

15. Stress Masterclasses Initial feedback –Overwhelming desire to take advantage of any help available –About 25% wanted to overcome difficulties in securing management commitment. –Around 80% were still at an early stage of securing management commitment. –92% of delegates felt that at least some of their requirements had been met but more than half (52%) still had some unanswered questions.

16. New Guidance Published in November 2007 Aimed primarily at organisations of 50 people or more Cost £10.95 But it does include a CD Rom!

17. Summary Data suggests that the management of work- related stress remains a challenge HSE will continue to work with others to promote the use of the Management Standards approach Future focus will be on a more holistic approach to the issue of health at work

18. 2008 and beyond Further series of HWS workshops New revamped HSE stress webpages Targeting CEOs and Directors of public and private sector organisations with 500+ employees

19. Further information Visit the HSE stress web pages www.hse.gov.uk/stress Email us: stressteam@hse.gsi.gov.uk