In November 2004 the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) launched 12 new management standards to help prevent excessive work-related stress.
The new material will help organisations meet their existing duty of care and their duty to assess the risk of work-related stress.
What does HSE expect employers to do?
HSE expects every employer to conduct risk assessments for health and safety hazards, including work-related stress. HSE recommends a five-step approach to risk assessment:
- Look for the hazards
- Decide who might be harmed and how
- Evaluate the risk and decide what needs to be done
- Record your findings
- Monitor and review
The assessment should include:
- Consulting with employees and their representatives to identify problem areas
- A commitment to take action to address these problems in partnership with employees and their representatives
- A commitment to review action plans
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Below are the six key aspects of work that, if not properly managed, can lead to work-related stress. They are accompanied by their respective management standards.
The demands of your job
- Employees indicate that they are able to cope with the demands of
their jobs
- Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns.
Your control over your work
- Employees indicate that they are able to have a say about the way they
do their work
- Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns
The support you receive from managers and colleagues
- Employees indicate that they receive adequate information and support
from their colleagues and superiors
- Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns
Your relationships at work
- Employees indicate that they are not subjected to unacceptable
behaviours, e.g. bullying at work
- Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns
Your role in the organisation
- Employees indicate that they understand their role and responsibilities
- Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns
Change and how it is managed
- Employees indicate that the organisation engages them frequently
when undergoing an organisational change
- Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns.
Click here for the full set of management standards
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