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Workplace stress scheme launched

Bupa investigative news - 20 June 2003
written by Rachel Newcombe, reporter for Bupa's Health Information Team

Up to 13.4 million days a year are lost purely due to stress at work, causing ill health to scores of people and disruption to businesses. In a bid to help manage the problem and provide useful tools for bosses and workers, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has launched the pilot phase of an innovative project. But what will the scheme actually do, how can we reduce work stress, and are there other ways of relieving stress?

What were the headlines?

Details about the scheme appeared in a number of publications, gaining headlines such as, "'Stress code' for firms launched", "HSE launches stress management programme", "Scheme aims to beat workplace stress", "Employers who ignore stress face legal action", and "Pilot scheme to fight stress at work".

Reports varied from a brief overview of the plans to a more detailed look, although one gave the impression the scheme is already in full flow, when it's actually still in the pilot phase.

What is the bigger picture?

Stress affects one in five people and is a leading cause of work illness. To try to prevent people from being made ill at work and to help those who have become ill to get back to work, the HSE designed a pilot scheme called Management Standards for stress. For the first time, companies taking part in the project will have a specific process to work through when managing stress in the workplace.

The standards in the scheme were initially developed using evidence gained from the Whitehall II study (a study of over 10,000 UK civil servants which began in 1985). They were then fine-tuned through work with 24 partner companies to see how they fared in workplace situations. The result is a list of six key standards:

• Demands - this standard is satifisied when at least 85 per cent of staff say they are able to cope with the demands of their job.
• Control - reached when 85 per cent of staff feel they have an adequate say over their job.
• Support - reached when 85 per cent say they've got the back-up they need.
• Relationships - achieved when at least 65 per cent say that they aren't subjected to unacceptable behaviour, such as bullying.
• Role - achieved when at least 65 per cent understand their role and responsibilities.
• Change - reached when 65 per cent are involved in organisational changes.

The overall ideal standard will be achieved if "at least 85 per cent of staff indicate that they receive adequate information and support from their colleagues and superiors and systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns". Failure to meet all the set percentage levels in each category results in the company failing the assessment.

Bill Callaghan, chair of the Health and Safety Commission, said, "We know that there is considerable pressure in the modern workplace, but there is a difference between the buzz people get from doing a busy and challenging job and an unreasonable pressure which can harm health, lead to absence and put additional strain on their colleagues trying to cope in an even more pressured environment."

"So, in developing a new approach, it is important to get active participation, agreement and feedback from as many people as possible and that is why we have decided that innovative firms seeking an answer can have a go with this scheme," he added.

Elizabeth Gyngell, head of HSE's Better Working Environment Division, welcomed the project. "I am delighted that such a wide range of companies, including HSE itself, are working with us to develop standards and being so frank in helping us tackle the challenges. I am confident that we will get a much better end product as a result."

The HSE hope organisations will provide feedback on the draft standards via their website so they can be further revised. As of Autumn 2003, they'll be evaluated and then produced for public consultation in early 2004.

What does this mean?

Alyssa Armstrong, from Bupa Wellness, welcomed the scheme, saying, "It's good companies have been given clear guidelines on what they should be doing to tackle the issue of stress-related illness."

She added that, "It will help us to help our corporate clients too. We're always trying to educate companies about the sort of things they could be doing to help decrease levels of stress-related illness. This scheme will help the individual employees, as well as ultimately increasing productivity and company money."

The Doctor Patient Partnership (DPP), who launched their own campaign in April to help workers recognise and manage work stress, also welcomed the standards. "We would very much support any moves to support managers," said a spokesperson. "Stress has such an impact on absence rates, if nothing else, so it's [the scheme] a win-win situation for the employer and employee."

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) declined to comment on the scheme, but according to the HSE, "Unions have welcomed the straightforward approach in at least one of the pilot sites."

What does this mean to me?

If you like the idea of the scheme, encourage your boss to take part and demonstrate a responsible attitude to combating stress.

For those who are already battling with work stress, Alyssa believes there are two important things people need to work on - perception and resilience. "People need to look at how they perceive expectations and pressures," she explained. "People are under very real pressures at work, but some add a lot themselves through their internal pressure, for example by worrying too much or perceiving everything as impossible to get through." By improving one's attitude and thinking positively, says Alyssa, perception can be improved.

"The other thing people can do is enhance their resilience to pressure. That is through looking after themselves physically - by eating regularly, keeping fit, sleeping well, drinking to avoid dehydration and so on, and by making sure they have support," she added. "It's very important people maximise their ability to cope with the pressure, based on their perceptions of life and on how well they build up resilience to pressure."

It's also equally important to admit to stress-related health problems if they occur. Employers cannot be expected to address a problem if they don't know it exists. Alyssa explains, "A High Court ruling at the end of February said that employers cannot be mind readers and that if an employee is suffering from some kind of stress-related illness, they need to make their employer aware of it as soon as possible."

Summary

The HSE's Management Standards for stress scheme is well timed, as stress is a growing cause of ill health among workers. Although the long-term impact is as yet unclear, it's hoped that the scheme will encourage businesses to pay more attention to the health of workers and change unhealthy practices within the workplace.

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Links for more information

• Bupa stress factsheet
• Bupa's stress and how to combat it article
• Bupa's stress test
• Bupa Wellness
• Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
• HSE Management Standards for stress
• Health and Safety Commission
• Doctor Patient Partnership (DPP)
• DPP Dealing with stress campaign
• Trades Union Congress (TUC)