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This page outlines the ways managers and staff will work to prevent and, where it occurs, address work-related stress.Ìý

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This guide supports the implementation of the Managing Stress at Work Policy Stress management policy. It provides a step-by-step guide, ideas, and resources as well as instructions so that you can fulfil your role in preventing, managing and stress within your team.Ìý

Pressures that can cause stress

The stress response occurs when the actual or perceived pressures on an individual are greater than their ability to cope. It is important to recognise the types of pressures that might contribute to feelings of stress in yourself or others and the signs that all may not be well.

Pressures might come from:ÌýÌýÌý

Signs that someone may be experiencing stress:

Recognising the signs of stress

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Supporting team members with work-related stress

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What to do if you think a member of staff is experiencing stressÌý

As a manager, you have a duty of care to support the health of your team. Steps you should take to do this are outlined below:Ìý

Recommended for managersÌý

1.Ìý Complete training:ÌýÌý

Purpose

to learn about:Ìý

• Ìýthe importance of embedding wellbeing action plans in 1-2-1'sÌý
• Ìýhow to include wellbeing conversations in staff meetingsÌý
• Ìýhelp map out possible challenging situations and where support can be obtainedÌýÌý

2. Complete:ÌýÌý

PurposeÌý

• ÌýReflect on your own practisesÌýÌý
• ÌýGet to know how well you manage stress levels within your teamÌý
• ÌýAssess your management style and behavioursÌý
• ÌýIdentify your strengthsÌý
• ÌýIdentify areas of developmentÌýÌý
• ÌýEnsures your support needs are being met when trying to support othersÌý

3. Read through:

Purpose

• Helps line managers hold initial conversations with employees as one of part of an employer’s journey towards preventing work-related stress.

Essential for managers

1. Within a week of becoming aware that staff member is experiencing stress: meet and *share resources available, arrange a time to complete stress risk assessmentÌýÌýÌý

PurposeÌýÌý

• Discuss problems areas and sources of stressÌý
• For manager to signpost to internal resources available at ¹û¶³Ó°ÔºÌý
• To arrange a date to complete a stress risk assessment (to be completed on RiskNET)Ìý
• Manager to request staff completeÌýthe stress self-assessment** prior to the stress risk assessmentÌýÌý

**The stress self-assessment has been designed to help staff to reflect and consider what areas of their work are contributing towards their stress. The self-assessment will help them prepare to share their thoughts, examples of problematic areas, and changes that they could implement themselves.

*Where managers can signpost staff:Ìý

• Dignity at ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº provides information on ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº's policy towards harassment, intimidation, and bullying, as well as advice for staff and studentsÌý
•  provide emotional support and practical advice for both work and non-work-related issuesÌý
• Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Team provides advice on inclusive practice
• HR Business Partnering team advise on ¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™s policies and support available
•  (OD) offers staff development opportunities to do their jobs effectively and meet changing demands.Ìý
• is an anonymous reporting platform for staff who consider themselves subject to bullying, harassment, or sexual misconduct at work.ÌýÌý
• Safety Services provide advice on safe work environment and risk assessments.Ìý
• Trade Union contribute to discussions and subsequent actions on matters concerning staff welfare.Ìý
• advise on the effects of work on health and health on work. If there are concerns about the employees’ health, consider completing a management referral for a confidential assessment.ÌýÌý

2. Hold meeting with staff member to complete a stress risk assessmentÌý

Staff members experiencing work-related stress should complete a pre-meeting stress self-assessment.Ìý Ìý

PurposeÌýÌý

• To complete risk assessment on RiskNETÌý
• To discuss the issues the member of staff is experiencingÌý
• Create space for the member of staff to speak openly and honestly about their experienceÌýÌý
• Share ideas on solutions, changes, and adjustments to support the staff memberÌý
• Identify and agree actions and timeframesÌý
• Agree next stepsÌý

Recommendations for conducting the meetingÌý

• Allow enough time to discuss issues raisedÌý
• Create open and trusting environmentÌý
• Listen to the staff member’s experienceÌý
• Respect their experience even if you do not necessarily understand or agree with itÌý
• Invite a colleague if there is existing conflict with the staff member – HR Business PartnerÌýor a managerÌý

Ideas for actions and solutions when completing a stress risk assessmentÌý

Use the as a framework to implement solutions and actions to support a staff member.ÌýÌý

HSE have a useful which helps guide you through the Management Standards below in conversation with the staff member experiencing work-related stress.

The lists a not exhaustive, as a manager you can be creative as you like when considering ways of reducing and managing stress.Ìý

DemandsÌý

Employees indicate that they can cope with the demands of their jobs; and systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns.Ìý

Ideas for management action to help meet the standardÌý

• Review workloads, duties, and responsibilitiesÌý
• Check understanding: is the person doing more than is neededÌý
• Clarify expectations of the role and working hoursÌý
• Consider adjustments to the working hours or patternsÌý
• Review work distribution within the work team, is it balanced?ÌýÌý
• Consider behaviours within the team, are they supportive and collaborative?Ìý
• Review the way resources are managed or allocatedÌý
• Consider whether changes to the work environment are neededÌý
• Design jobs to avoid conflicting demands and expectations and the job role are clearÌý
• Check appropriate rest is being takenÌý
• Encourage staff take their annual leave entitlement throughout the year.Ìý
• Ensure staff are fully trained to undertake the demands of their job and have developmental opportunitiesÌý
• Discourage presenteeism in your teamÌý

ControlÌý

Employees indicate that they can have a say about the way they do their work; and systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concernsÌý

Ideas for management action to help meet the standardÌý

• Alter the job design to give more control over the pace or organisation of the workÌý
• Consider adjustments to the working hours or patternsÌý
• Discuss tasks where the staff member feels able to act on their initiativeÌý
• Give opportunities to feedback on how work is organisedÌý
• Encourage staff to contribute to decisions about how the job is done, including processes, systems, and new developmentsÌý
• Encourage staff member to develop new skills; Offer further training and supportÌý

SupportÌý

Employees 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.Ìý

Ideas for management action to help meet the standardÌý

• Give opportunities for staff member to give and receive regular feedbackÌý
• Give opportunities for staff member to raise and resolve issuesÌý
• Ensure staff member knows how to access ¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™s policies and procedures that are relevant to their concernsÌý
• Ensure staff member knows how to access the resources necessary to do their jobÌýÌýÌý
• Identify potential conflict and people issues and handle them earlyÌý
• Identify or respond to issues of concern promptly and seek constructive solutionsÌý
• Be aware of and offer additional support to staff who are experiencing stress outside work e.g., bereavement or separation.Ìý
• Ensure team members know about support available such as the ¹û¶³Ó°Ôº Employee Assistance Programme, Unions and Dignity AdvisersÌýÌý

RoleÌý

Employees indicate that they understand their role and responsibilities and systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns.Ìý

Ideas for management action to help meet the standardÌý

• Give opportunities for staff member to give and receive regular feedbackÌý
• Use 1:1 meeting to feedback on performanceÌý
• Give clear instructions and expectations when delegating tasksÌý
• Embed a collaborative and supportive culture within the teamÌý
• Ensure training opportunities are availableÌý
• Provide opportunities to raise questionsÌý

RelationshipsÌý

Employees indicate that they are not subjected to unacceptable behaviours, e.g., bullying at work; and systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concernsÌý

Ideas for management action to help meet the standardÌý

• Enquire about working relationships in 1:1 meetingsÌý
• Get to know your team betterÌý
• Ensure expected and acceptable behaviours are known and understoodÌýÌý
• Address conflict at an early stageÌý
• Support staff member to resolve conflictÌý
• Ensure staff member knows what support systems are available at ¹û¶³Ó°ÔºÌý
• Ensure staff member knows how to access relevant policies and proceduresÌý
• Contribute to preventing unacceptable behaviours, including harassment, bullying or sexual misconduct, through self-awareness, modelling positive behaviours, investigating, and raising any concernsÌý
• Reflect on your own management styleÌý

ChangeÌý

Employees indicate that the organisation engages them frequently when undergoing an organisational change; and systems are in place locally to respond to any induvial concernsÌý

Ideas for management action to help meet the standardÌý

• Consult staff members on proposed changes in a timely mannerÌý
• Provided further information and clarity to ensure staff member understand the reasons for changeÌý
• Share impact of changes with staff membersÌý
• Ensure internal communication channels are known to staff membersÌý
• Share timescales of planned changes
• Provide opportunity to get feedback and input about changesÌý

3. Follow up on agreed actions

PurposeÌý

• Follow up on agreed actions and any outstanding actions that needed further research before they can be implementedÌýÌýÌý
• Share your thoughts and ideas with the member of staff where alternative measures may be neededÌý
• Opportunity for member of staff to agree or disagree with theseÌý
• Agree further actions and implementation of changes neededÌý
• Agree any necessary timeframesÌý

4.Ìý Implement support, training, or adjustmentsÌý

• Ensure the staff member is provided with the necessary input, resource, and supportÌý
• Opportunity to trial the agreed actionsÌý
• Opportunity for the staff member to identify changes/impact of changes put in placeÌý

5.ÌýReview meetingÌýÌý

PurposeÌý

• Review risk assessment from step 1Ìý
• Review any changesÌý
• Review the impact of agreed support, training, or adjustmentsÌý
• Assess whether further action is neededÌý
• Identify any further actions to support stress levelsÌý

Support for you as a managerÌý

• Seek appropriate advice and support at an early stage if difficulties ariseÌý
• Speak to your manager or HR Business Partner if you need supportÌýÌý
• Visit Workplace Wellbeing pages for resources and ideasÌý
• Send a management referral for the employee to Workplace Health (¹û¶³Ó°Ôºâ€™s occupational health and wellbeing team) for a confidential assessment with an OH clinical specialist.
• Training resourcesÌýÌý
• Employee Assistance Programme to support your own wellbeingÌýÌý

Completing the stress risk assessmentÌý

• To be completed on RiskNETÌý
• Use the to find the stress risk assessment on RiskNETÌýÌýÌý
• The stress risk assessment should be completed with the staff member presentÌý
• The manager is the assessor, and the staff member is the approverÌýÌý
• Mark the stress risk assessment as confidential, this ensures no one else in your department can access itÌý
• A copy of the completed stress risk assessment should be sent to the staff memberÌýÌýÌý

Lifecycle of stress risk assessment