1. Stress Management Standards or a Quality of Working Life Act ? Simon Pickvance Institute for Employment Rights

2. Outline What is the current state of the psychosocial work environment ? Will the Stress Management Standards work ? What is stress anyway Existing law relating to stress Proposals for law A QWLA

3. HSE Psychosocial WE survey Very little change over 4 years (2004-7) 14% extremely stressed No changes expected as a result of policy yet (18 mo delay) ? Changes in management and peer support Asks about anger and fear

4. European trends Rapid trends: computers Slow deterioration: intensity, autonomy, learning new things, satisfaction Some areas of improvement: WLB, discrimination, hours, health and safety Differing country strategies demonstrate there is no inevitability about direction of change

5. Stress Management Standards Demands, Control, Support Relationships Role, Change Audit based Standard questionnaires National surveys Priority areas chosen: Health, Education, Finance, Public admin

6. What is stress ? Does it (still) exist ? Bad stress/good stress Silent stress Social, psychological, physical Knowing, thinking, feeling Why now ? –An attempt to communicate ?

7. What people say about stress at work Fear Anger Frustration Care and social bond –Tend and –befriend Lack of ‘play’ Meaning Status

8. Fairness Security Influence and control Care Freedom of association Negotiated rewards, legal minimum procedures Vulnerable workers Contracts, training Freedom from harassment Consultation/Co- determination rules FWA, Rehabilitation Time-off Prevention services Representation rights Mediation

9. A QWLA ? Has to tackle Fairness – procedural, distributive Security – job security, physical security Influence and control Care: support, recognition of needs Freedom of association at work

10. Existing legislation Working time Provision of Work Equipment Pregnancy and Work Management of Health and Safety at Work DSE Regs Dispute resolution Equal treatment/Discrimination legislation Harassment Act (proposals: Temporary Workers, etc., Employment law: Role of ACAS)

11. Previous proposals for law Dignity at Work Bill Right to Learn Right to Flexible Working Arrangements Duty of care Extending ICE Equal rights for all (migrant, agency, home –workers) Trade Union Freedom Bill

12. A Quality of Working Life Act Duty of Care –Employers’ duties –Attention to employees’ work-life balance, health, rehabilitation Freedom from harassment and insecurity (fear) Control - codetermination Fairness Rights to associate, be represented, mediate Inspection

13. Weighing up our options What are the benefits of using health arguments? Should we merge QWL with Trade Union Freedom demands ? Is it better to aim for small changes in several sets of regulations ? What help might we get from EU legislation ?