Stress February 2010

Tackling stress

by Fluid

February 2010

Contents3-4 Introduction to Fluid5-6 Definitions7-9 Statistics10-12 Causes of stress13-14 Impact of stress15-17 Coping with stress18-21 Managing the stress of others22-23 Exercise A24-32 How a caring employer can

reduce stress33-34 Stress test35-36 Two schools of thought37-40 How does stress manifest

itself?41-42 Health & wellbeing43-44 Exercise B45-46 Case studies47-48 Exercise C49-50 Conclusion and questions

Introduction

Introduction to Fluid• Fluid Consulting Limited (Fluid) is a specialist

human resources consultancy headed by Tim Holden MCIPD

• 10 years in banking• 10 years in Human Resources consultancy• Fluid trading since 2006• The core services provided by Fluid are:

- Retention- Selection- Attraction- Remuneration & Reward - Outplacement- Training & HR consultancy

Definitions

Definitions

• Health & Safety Executive

Statistics

Statistics 1 of 2

• 69% of HR professionals consider stress to be a problem in their organisation

• 64% of respondents said employees signed off with stress in the past 12 months have returned to work

• 53% of respondents consider stress to be more of a problem than it was a year ago

• 47% of respondents deal with employees suffering from stress by referring them to their GP

• 42% of respondents think less than half of employee stress is caused by issues at work

Statistics 2 of 2• 46% refer employees for external counselling and 45%

to occupational health• 33% of organisations have a policy in place for

managing workplace stress• 27% of employers with turnover of less than £5M have

stress management policies in place• 20% of HR professionals in manufacturing say their

organisations have policies today, but 37% are developing policies

• 18% of organisations have undertaken stress audits to identify causes of the problem in the workplace

• 12% of employers had been forced to dismiss employees signed off with stress in the past year

Causes of stress

Causes of stress 1 of 2

• An overly heavy workload• Too much pressure to meet targets or

deadlines• Feeling that efforts are not recognised• Having an unsatisfactory work-life balance• Insufficiently challenging work• Lack of clarity about the role• Lack of autonomy

Causes of stress 2 of 2

• Lack of involvement in decision making• Organisational change or restructuring• Working environment• Relationship with manager• Relationship with direct reports• Relationship with other colleagues

Impact of stress

Impact of stress

• Reduced morale• Reduced performance• Absence• Team conflict• Increased staff turnover• Reduced profits

Coping with stress

Coping with stress 1 of 2

• I think through positive solutions• I spend more time planning tasks, projects

and activities• I take time out to myself• I discuss the stressful situation with my

friends and family• I delegate more• I discuss the stressful situation with my

colleagues

Coping with stress 2 of 2

• I discuss the stressful situation with my manager• I develop solutions with my colleagues• I throw myself into leisure activities to take my mind

off stress at work• I develop solutions with my manager• I ignore it• I develop solutions with my friends and family• I avoid tasks• I take more holiday time• I take more time off sick

Managing the stress of others

Managing the stress of others 1 of 3

• Help them manage their workload• Regularly discuss their work pressures with

them• Allow flexible working• Help them understand how to manage their

own stress• Give discretionary time off• Recommend external sources of professional

help• Arrange stress management solutions tailored

to their needs


• SKILLS TO IMPROVE• Being able to clarify the factors that may lead

to stress for individual direct reports• Skills in discussing issues that lead to stress

with direct reports• Understanding why people react in the ways

they do• Understanding what employees need when they

are stressed


• COMPETENCIES FOR MANAGERS-HSE• Respect and responsibility• Managing and communicating existing and

future work• Managing the individual in the team• Reasoning and managing difficult situations

Exercise A

How a caring employer can reduce stress

How a caring employer can reduce stress 1 of 8

• Demand• Support• Control• Relationships• Change


• Create a supportive culture• Appreciate people’s differences• Recognise the signs of stress• Resolve issues as they arise• Consider teambuilding• Enable autonomy• Remember remote workers• Have a contingency plan


• Return to work interviews for employees returning from stress-related absences

• Offering a phased return to work• Referring employees who were absent for stress-

related reasons to an occupational health advisor• Offering flexible working options• Offering redeployment to another job or location• Visiting employees at home during long-term, stress-

related absence• Risk assessments for employees returning from stress-

related absence to identify stressors/potential stressors


• Regular one-to-one meetings• Access to counselling services or an employee

assistance programme• Training in tips and techniques for managing

one’s own stress• Solutions tailored to individual needs• Facilitation meetings to resolve issues• Health and wellbeing initiatives to reduce and

prevent stress


• Offer practical help• Do one thing at a time, not piling stress upon stress with

numerous deadlines• Do not expect too much from an employee• Offer the option of being able to talk to someone• Try to spend time with employees rather than being

critical and judgmental• Offer relaxation techniques• Make the work environment comfortable• Ensure employees are aware of company policies such

as bullying & harassment, making sure there is regular training in these areas


• Work-life balance initiatives• Training managers in stress awareness• Regular employee appraisals where stress is

discussed• Risk assessments for compliance with health and

safety regulations• Cultural change programmes• Performance management• Employee assistance programmes• Counselling services• Psycho-social risk assessments • Stress policy


• POLICIES• Flexible working policy/job sharing/flexitime• Policies to encourage employees to take their

holiday• Occupational health service• Health screening• Access to a corporate gym membership• Mentoring programmes• Healthy living advice• On-site fitness or relaxation services• Behavioural health assessment


• HEALTH & SAFETY EXECUTIVE• Step 1-Identify the hazards• Step 2-Decide who may be harmed and

how• Step 3-Evaluate the risk• Step 4-Record the findings• Step 5-Monitor and review

Stress test

Stress test

• Timely advice• Give yourself a medal• Have a break• Go on holiday• Message in a bottle• Call in the professionals• Work to live, not live to work• Work it out• Challenge negative thinking• Laugh!

Two schools of thought

Two schools of thought

• Box-ticker• Enlightened

• INITIATIVES• Holiday monitoring• Formal relationship with stress counsellors or

occupational health professionals• On-site gyms or gym sponsorship• Duvet days

How does stress manifest itself?

How does stress manifest itself? 1 of 3

• Short-temperedness• Feeling tearful• Loss of motivation and commitment• Changes in behaviour• Increased sickness absence• Reduced performance• Excessive smoking, drinking or drug abuse• Anxiety and depression• Panic attacks


• BEFORE-recognise signals• DURING-provide support• AFTER-prevent relapses


• PHYSICAL-weight gain or weight loss; increased susceptibility to colds

• EMOTIONAL-unusual mood swings, tearfulness or aggressive outbursts

• COGNITIVE-forgetfulness, loss of concentration and/or more mistakes

• BEHAVIOURAL-reduced eye contact and decreased social interaction

Health & wellbeing

Health & wellbeing

• Diet• Exercise• Obesity• Smoking• Substance abuse• Yoga

Exercise B

Case studies

Exercise C

Conclusion & Questions

Conclusion

• Summary• Questions

Stress February 2010

Business

Transcript of Stress February 2010