HSE Work-Related Stress and How to Manage It

While some stress is good to help drive business excellence, too much stress can have the opposite effect. There are individual variabilities of performance based on experience, education, training, and other psychosocial issues. Understanding stress and how to cope is very important tool. We explore the concerns of workplace stress and stress withing interpersonal relationships.

1. Work-Related Stress and How to Manage It Edited by: Bernard L. Fontaine, Jr., CIH, CSP, FAIHA 1/30/2024 Presents

2. Stress is a major cause of sickness absence in the workplace and costs over £5 billion a year in Great Britain alone . It affects workers, families and colleagues by impacting their health but it impacts their employers by added costs to sickness absence, replacement staff, lost production, reputation and increased mishaps. Learn how to systematically implement an organizational procedure to manage work-related stress. HSE offers tools and resources to help businesses create safe and healthy workplaces. 1/30/2024 2

3. Agenda Overview Causes of stress at work Signs of stress Stress risk assessment Help for workers’ stress at work 11/30/2024 3

4. Overview Seven areas of work which can effect stress levels. It should be managed properly like: Demands Control Support Relationships Role Change Compensation 1/30/2024 4

5. Background Work-related stress, anxiety and depression are common, overlapping mental health problems burdened with major medical, occupational, institutional and societal implications. Current occupational health management is based on clinical and managerial guidelines and individual risk assessment . 1/30/2024 5

6. 1/30/2024 6 Vulnerable Populations Communities of color Racial and ethnic minorities Households living below the poverty line Indigenous people Older adults Women and underaged children Workers experiencing homelessness Workers with functional or access needs Workers with mental health diagnoses Workers taking psychotropic medications

7. Causes of Stress Not able to cope with demands of their jobs Unable to control how they do their work Don't receive enough information or support Trouble with relationships at work, or bullied Don't understand role and responsibilities Not engaged business is undergoing change Compensation not aligned with inflation 11/30/2024 7

8. Signs of Stress 8 11/30/2024 Signs of stress in a team include: Arguments Higher staff turnover More reports of stress More sickness absence Decreased performance More complaints, and Grievances

9. Signs of Worker Stress Take more time off Arrive for work later More twitchy or nervous Mood swings Withdrawn Loss of motivation, commitment and confidence Increased emotional reactions – being more tearful, sensitive or aggressive 11/30/2024 9

10. 1/30/2024 Stress Risk Assessment Employers have a legal duty to protect workers from stress at work by doing a risk assessment and acting on it. You should assess the risk of stress , and its impact on mental and physical ill-health, in the same way as you assess other work-related health and safety risks. 10

11. 1/30/2024 Spotting Signs of Work-Related Stress Feeling negative Being indecisive Feeling isolated or nervous Being unable to concentrate Eat more or less than usual Smoke, drink or take drugs 'to cope’ Difficulty sleeping 11

12. Management Resources Trade union representative Worker representative Human Resources department Worker assistance program/counselling service if your company has these Mental health counselor Physician 7/13/20XX Conference presentation 12

13. Personal Resources Family friend or confidant Barber shop, hair or nail salon Club or local association Religious organization 1/30/2024 13

14. Case Study This company bakes bespoke celebration cakes and has nine employees. Work can peak at particular times of year, e.g. there are more weddings in the summer which is also the time when more workers take leave. Several workers complained about feeling stressed due to the heavy demands and conflicting deadlines . The owner is concerned that workers may become ill and take time off work. This would put remaining workers under more pressure. The owner decided to do a stress risk assessment. 1/30/2024 14 Risk Assessment on Work-Related Stress in a Small Business

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16. Case Study 1/30/2024 16 Risk Assessment on Work-Related Stress in a Small Business This company provides financial services and has 40 staff. Work can peak around deadlines and the end of the financial year . There is a history of stress-related ill health in the company, which prompted the office manager responsible for health and safety to do a stress risk assessment.

17. 1/30/2024 17 Work-Related Stress Risk Assessment

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20. 1/30/2024 Cost of Work-Related Stress Research shows work-related stress has both direct and indirect costs: Worker commitment to work Performance and productivity Staff performance and productivity Attendance levels Staff recruitment and retention Accident rates Customer satisfaction and timeliness Organizational image and reputation Potential litigation 20

21. “The most dangerous safety threat in industrial work might be mental health.” Rose Morrison 1/30/2024 21