Employers should approach stress management proactively, focusing on prevention and early intervention, and not just responding when a problem becomes significant or when someone goes on sick leave.
There are several approaches organisations can take to address stress at work. The 2022 Health and wellbeing at work survey report identifies the most common methods used to identify and reduce stress in the workplace:
- Employee assistance programme.
- Flexible working options/improved work–life balance.
- Staff surveys and/or focus groups to identify causes.
- Risk assessments/stress audits.
- Training for line managers to manage stress.
- Training aimed at building personal resilience (such as coping techniques, mindfulness).
- Involvement of occupational health specialists.
- Stress management training for the whole workforce.
- Written stress policy/guidance.
Developing an organisational framework
The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE)’s Management Standards provide guidance for employers on how to identify and manage the causes of work-related stress. The HSE lists six main areas of work design which can affect stress levels, which need to be managed properly:
- Demands: for example, workload and the working environment.
- Control: for example. how much say someone has over their job.
- Support: for example, level of supervision and resources available to do the job.
- Relationships: for example. promoting positive working to help prevent conflict.
- Role: for example, making sure people understand their role and how it fits in the organisation.
- Change: for example, how organisational change is managed and communicated.
The Mental Health at Work Commitment is a simple framework for organisations to implement. Based on the Thriving at work review, it has six standards which provide a roadmap to achieving better mental health outcomes for employees:
- Prioritise mental health in the workplace by developing and delivering a systematic programme of activity.
- Proactively ensure work design and organisational culture drive positive mental health outcomes.
- Promote an open culture around mental health.
- Increase organisational confidence and capability
- Provide mental health tools and support.
- Increase transparency and accountability through internal and external reporting.
See the CIPD’s guide on supporting the Mental Health at Work Commitment.
Prevention
Organisations should focus their efforts on identifying the main risks of stress to people and implementing measures to reduce or eradicate them.
To help prevent workplace stress:
- Carry out a stress risk assessment, and then allocate resources to reduce or eliminate the sources of stress.
- Give people adequate training and support to do their jobs well.
- Train line managers to identify potential causes of stress in their teams and manage people, and workloads, effectively.
- Increase support for staff during periods of change and uncertainty, particularly important during the ongoing uncertainty caused by the pandemic.
Early intervention
Spotting and addressing early signs of an issue can prevent it escalating. If employees raise an issue and managers are confident and capable of taking action, then early intervention is preferable.
The HSE has produced the Talking Toolkit to help manageers start a conversation with their employees in identifying stressors (risks) to help manage and prevent work-related stress.
Employers should invest in:
- Developing a supportive work culture to encourage staff to discuss and seek support when experiencing stress.
- Providing, and signposting to, sources of support, for example a counselling service, employee assistance programme and charities.
- Developing the people management skills and confidence of managers so they can have sensitive conversations with staff.
The role of managers
Although line managers should hopefully be able to spot the early signs of stress in their team members, employers should ensure that managers are supported, and have the resources and skills to look after people’s wellbeing.
While employers increasingly expect line managers to look after people’s health and wellbeing, often employers don’t provide the necessary training and support. For example, our 2022 Health and wellbeing at work survey report found that 56% of organisations train managers to manage stress.
A line manager is in the best place to understand the demands on a team member, as well as their personal needs and circumstances; they are therefore in a unique position to identify and deal with potential triggers for stress. They are also very likely to be the first port of call if a team member is feeling stressed and needs support.
