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December 2003 |
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Is working getting to you? |  Back to contents | ||
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Most of us recognise that work can be a cause of stress. Even so, there is still disagreement between academics about what stress is. Some claim it is an almost meaningless term and question whether it exists.1 The problem is that what people generally refer to as "stress" means different things to different people. In other words, what one person calls stress, another may call job satisfaction. Furthermore, a person who claims to be "stressed" can be responding to a wide range of physical and emotional stimuli, and these may not necessarily be work related. Some people arguably, are more susceptible than others to stress-related problems. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) acknowledges the complexities surrounding stress but argues that a convincing body of research shows "there is a clear link between poor work organisation and subsequent ill health".1 Surveys commissioned by the HSE in 1990, 1995 and 2001/02, which are known as SWI90, SWI95 and SWI01/02 (or surveys of self-reported work-related Illness), and a fourth survey commissioned by the European Union Statistical Office in 1998/99, suggest stress is a very serious problem for organisations.2 Detailed results from the 2001/02 survey estimated that up to 13.5 million days are lost each year due to stress-related work, depression or anxiety.3 Other HSE findings indicate that about half a million people experience work-related stress at a level they believe is making them ill, with stress costing society an estimated £3.7bn every year (based on 1995/96 prices).1 The HSE points out that these "surveys depend on lay people's perceptions of medical matters and therefore cannot be taken directly as an indicator of the 'true' extent of work-related illness", but even so are still important in their own right in reflecting workplace trends. The seriousness in which the Health and Safety Commission views work-related stress and its impact on health is reflected in the decision to make it a "priority programme" in the strategic plan for 2001 to 2004. The programmes are key to delivering the national targets for health and safety improvement, as set out in the Revitalising health and safety strategy (RHS). The targets to be met for work-related stress by 2010 (as outlined in Securing health together4), include:
The HSE has set up a stress priority unit to develop and promote guidance on stress and to facilitate and encourage the sharing of good practice and knowledge between organisations. One key development this year has been the preparation of management standards for work-related stress, the intention of which is to provide a yardstick against which organisations can measure their progress in stress in the workplace and can target where action is most needed. Standards are currently being developed with partners in industry and the public sector who have been piloting them since March.6 Liz Justice, at the HSE's press office, says the standards should go to public consultation in spring 2004. Aside from the guidance route, there is a clear regulatory role for enforcement bodies. Local authorities in fact have a duty to follow the Management of Health and Safety at Work (MOHSAW) Regulations 1992, which state that risk assessments need to be carried out and people at risk identified. However, according to Ian Greaves, a health and safety consultant at IGI, who runs the CIEH stress awareness course, this is far from straightforward. "I believe that many environmental health officers and their authorities find this difficult to enforce in relation to stress as a recognised workplace hazard. Physical hazards and risks are usually the ones identified first and controlled. Many companies create a 'stress generic' risk assessment that will do little to help an individual suffering from stress in their job," he says. The HSE has been encouraging local authorities to adopt its topic-based inspections, which includes talking to employers to see what they are doing to alleviate stress in the workplace. It is also looking at ways to "open up" the HSE's intranet to local authorities so that enforcement officers can gain access to advice and guidance. Additional information is already available on the HSE website to assist officers in their work. But as Allan Davies, head of the HSE's local authority unit, admits, combating stress is no easy task. "It's not always clear whether stress is just work-related or whether it is cumulative of other factors," he says. Mr Greaves acknowledges that the causes of stress are blurred, but adds, "It is essential to realise that you can not divorce work-related stress from domestic or home-based stress as they will impinge on each other." There are additional factors that make combating stress in the workplace difficult. As Chris Rowe, head of the HSE's psychological policy unit points out, "No two workplaces are the same and no two workforces are the same. It is not possible to prescribe a set of solutions for all causes of work-related stress. But there are common themes, and there will be some similarity of experiences."7 In October, the HSE launched the new guidance pack, Real solutions, real people - a manager's guide to tackling work-related stress, which contains examples of clear, practical measures to help company workforces agree how to tackle the findings of a stress risk assessment.8 This practical tool will be particularly useful for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which probably have the greatest difficulty in combating stress because only a small number, if any, are likely to have the corporate structure and sufficient personnel to support or manage stress within their organisation.9 As a trainer, Mr Greaves has firsthand knowledge of the difficulties employers encounter, and notes, "what's been coming out of the courses is that many companies do recognise stress as an issue but are finding it difficult to know what practically to do with it." He also identifies a lack of knowledge and skills to deal with stress-related illness out in the field. "Many health experts and physicians state that their own training could be better in the subject. Few workplaces have trained occupational health personnel let alone stress councillors," he adds. The HSE has done a great deal of valuable work with regard to work-related stress. Nevertheless, Mr Greaves believes that much more needs to be done to educate both environmental health officers and the workplaces they visit. "Awareness of the issues is one stage, being able to practically deal with it is much more difficult". References
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