Talking Toolkit: Preventing Work-related Stress - HSE
Talking ToolkitPreventing work-related stress
2 Preventing work-related stress
ContentsIntroduction – For employers4Using your talking toolkit5What happens next?7Conversation One – Demands8Conversation Two – Control10Conversation Three – Support12Conversation Four – Relationships14Conversation Five – Role16Conversation Six – Change18Sources of further advice21Preventing work-related stress 3
Introduction – For employersPreventingwork-related stressThe case for preventingstress: The law requiresemployers to tacklework-related stress. Tackling stress preventsill health. Taking action on stressbrings business benefits;it reduces sicknessabsence, boosts moraleand helps improveproductivity.The earlier a problem istackled the less impact itwill have.If you think that an employeeis having problems,encourage them to talk tosomeone, whether it’s theirline manager, trade unionrepresentative, GP or theiroccupational health team.4 Preventing work-related stressAcross Great Britain, workrelated stress accounts for overhalf (57%) of all working dayslost to ill health. In the last 12months, over 600 000 workersreported suffering from stress,depression or anxiety, caused ormade worse by work.Line managers can play animportant role in helping toimplement these measures andthere are many tools, resourcesand guides available to helpemployers in deciding whatthese measures should be (seepages 21 and 22).Stress affects us all at differenttimes and in different ways.It can cause people to feelphysically unwell, can causemental health problems and canmake existing problems worse.This toolkit is designed tohelp line managers hold initialconversations with employeesas one of part of an employer’sjourney towards preventingwork-related stress.It’s important to remember thatit’s not an employer’s or a linemanager’s job to diagnose ortreat stress, whatever its cause. Ifan employee is having problems,it’s important that they get helpas soon as possible.By taking action employers canhelp create a more engaged,healthy workforce, boostproductivity and save money.Whether an employer is a smallbusiness or a large corporation,the law requires all employers toassess the risk of work-relatedstress and to put steps in placeto tackle those risks.Employers have reportedimprovements in productivity,retention of staff and a reductionin sickness absence whentackling work-related stress.
Using your Talking ToolkitStarting the conversation is animportant first step towardspreventing work-related stressand developing the actionsand stress risk assessmentemployers need to comply withthe law.The Talking Toolkit shouldnot be used in isolation as anemployer’s only response ifthere is an existing problemwith work-related stress in theorganisation. It can be providedto line managers to help themstart to have simple, practicalconversations with employees.The toolkit has six templates forsix different conversations. Eachof these has a different themedesigned to get line managersand employees talking aboutissues which may be causingwork-related stress or issueswhich could have the potentialto become future causes if notmanaged properly.For each conversation, the firstsheet gives the line managera series of questions to startdiscussions with an employeeabout the causes of stress. Thesecond sheet helps the linemanager to develop ideas forhow to begin tackling causes.There is no strict format forthese conversations, or how linemanagers should conduct them,and the layout of the toolkit isnot prescriptive. An employercould ask a line manager to holdone a week or one a month. Theconversations could focus onjust one topic or cover all six.The conversations can fit into anexisting one-to-one, they couldbe built into the next training dayor a new meeting could be setup solely to talk about stress andhow to prevent it.Importantly, employers shouldmake sure that there is timeavailable for line managersand employees to have theseconversations. The toolkit alsorelies on both managers andemployees having an open andhonest conversation.Line managers should listento what is being said ratherthan trying to offer excusesor explanations. Action pointsand solutions should be agreedtogether. The important thingis to start talking and to startplanning.The law requires allemployers to assess therisk of work-related stressand to put steps in place totackle those risks.The Talking Toolkit can formpart of an organisation’sresponse but should notbe used in isolation as theemployer’s only measure toprevent stress.Conversation 1 DemandsConversation 2 ControlConversation 3 SupportConversation 4 RelationshipsConversation 5 RoleConversation 6 ChangePreventing work-related stress 5
6 Preventing work-related stress
What happens next?The Talking Toolkit is just onestep on the journey towardsmanaging work-related stressand bringing in measures neededto address the risks and helpyour organisation comply withthe law.After you complete the sixconversations, you shouldhave built up a picture of thepotential causes of stress in yourorganisation.There are suggestionsthroughout this toolkit on tacklingthe issues. You may decide toimplement the ManagementStandards, HSE’s approach forpreventing stress at work.The approach helps identify andmanage the six causes of stressat work, providing advice onhow to build the business casefor taking action, and how toinvolve the management teamand all employees across yourorganisation to work together totackle the problems.Importantly, if you discover thatsomeone is experiencing stressor a mental health problem,they should be encouragedto talk to someone, whetherit’s a manager, their tradeunion representative, GP oroccupational health team.Remember, although employershave a legal duty to protectemployees from stress at work,diagnosing and treating stressisn’t their responsibility.The ‘Sources of further advice’section (pages 21 and 22) pointsyou in the direction of otheruseful guides, workbooks andtools for both managing andpreventing work-related stress.The approach also adviseson how and when to involveyour employees in gatheringinformation on problems byorganising focus groups, surveysand working groups to identifysolutions which are relevant towhere you work.Preventing work-related stress 7
Conversation One: DemandsHow your employeeshould feel They are able to cope with the demands of their job. They are provided with achievable demands in relation tothe hours they work. Their skills and abilities are matched to the demands oftheir job. Concerns about their work environment are addressed.Go through the following questions with your employee or teamDoes your workload feel achievable? Think about which tasks take up the most time and how yourorganisation copes at busy times.Do you feel the deadlines you are given are realistic? Do you often have conflicting deadlines?Have you had the right training to carry out the core functions of your job?What improvements or support could be put in place to help with any of the issues you have talkedabout? Think about you, your line manager, your organisation.Set a date to revisit these proposed changes8 Preventing work-related stress
Conversation One: DemandsDid you know that in 2018 theDuke of Cambridge launchedwww.mentalhealthatwork.org.uk from Heads Togetherand Mind? It brings togetherresources, training andinformation – providingthe tools needed to makeworkplace wellbeing apriority. Find out more at:www.mentalhealthatwork.org.ukThe Chartered AccountantsBenevolent Associationhave produced a toolkitfor how people can reducetheir workload to reducestress. The tips are relevantto most workplaces andcan be found by searchingfor ‘workload’ on www.mentalhealthatwork.org.ukWorking patterns Allow regular breaks,especially when the workis complex or emotionallydemanding. Consider changes to start andend times to help employeescope with pressures outsidework, like childcare orcommuting.Workload Hold regular meetings, bothwith individuals and as ateam, to discuss anticipatedworkloads (and to deal withany predicted busy times). Provide training to helpemployees prioritise. Develop a system to notifyemployees of unplanned tightdeadlines and any exceptionalneed to work long hours. If you’re a team leader orsupervisor, learn to say no towork if your team is already atfull capacity. Consider the introduction of awork/life balance policy.Environment Assess the risk and impact ofother potential hazards andtake steps to deal with themby consulting with employeesand others. For example, todeal with the potential hazardof violence and aggression,you could seek advice fromthe police or a specialistcharity. Provide training to helpemployees deal with anddefuse difficult situations. Take steps to reduceunwanted distraction,disturbance and noise levels. Identify blocks of time toallow for genuine collaborativeplanning.Agreed action planSet a date to revisit these proposed changesPreventing work-related stress 9
Conversation Two: ControlHow your employeeshould feel They are consulted over the way their work is organisedand undertaken, eg through regular meetings, one-to-ones,performance reviews. They have regular opportunities for discussion and input atthe start of projects or new pieces of work. They are encouraged to use their skills and initiative to dotheir work. They are consulted over things affecting their work. They are encouraged to develop new skills and undertakenew and challenging pieces of work.Go through the following questions with your employee or team.Do you feel involved in how decisions about your job are made? Think about whether you feellistened to and trusted, how you are consulted and any opportunities for input.Do you feel your skills are used to good effect? How could your existing skills be used more effectively?Do you feel you have a say in how your work is organised and undertaken?What improvements or support could be put in place to help with any of the issues you have talkedabout? Think about you, your line manager, your organisation.Set a date to revisit these proposed changes10 Preventing work-related stress
Conversation Two: ControlTUC General SecretaryFrances O’Grady said: ‘It’sin no one’s interest to havean overstretched workforce,as anxious employees areless productive and aremore likely to take time off.’CommunicationDecisions Help employees to have asay over the way their workis organised and undertakenthrough project meetings,one-to-ones and performancereviews. Talk about the way decisionsare made. Hold regular discussionforums during the planningstage of new work to talkabout the anticipated methodsof working. Allocate responsibility toteams rather than individualsto take projects forward. Allow employees some controlover the pace of their work. Allow and encourage peopleto participate in decisionmaking, especially where itaffects them.Skills and training Talk about the skills peoplehave and if they believe theyare able to use these to goodeffect. Talk about how people wouldlike to use their skills. Consider personaldevelopment/training plans,where you ask employeesto think about the skills theywould like to develop.Agreed action planSet a date to revisit these proposed changesPreventing work-related stress 11
Conversation Three: SupportHow your employeeshould feel They receive information and support from other employeesand their managers. The organisation has systems in place to enable andencourage managers to support their employees and foremployees to support one another. They know what support is available and how to access it. They know how to access the resources they need. They receive regular and constructive feedback.Go through the following questions with your employee or team.Do you feel that your organisation is a positive place to work and that you are valued? Think about theworking environment, the support available and the opportunities to talk about support you may need.Do you know who to talk to and where to go when you need support? Think about where you wouldgo for help if you were experiencing an issue and whether you would feel comfortable doing so.Do you feel there are enough opportunities to discuss any emerging issues or pressures?What improvements or support could be put in place to help with any of the issues you have talkedabout? Think about you, your line manager, your organisation.Set a date to revisit these proposed changes12 Preventing work-related stress
Conversation Three: SupportDid you know that Mind offerfree resources to supportyou and your employees’mental health at work?Wellness Actions Plans(WAPs) help you to takepractical steps to ensureyou are supported whenyou aren’t feeling great.Research from Mind showsthat 30% of employeesdisagreed with the statement,‘I would feel able to talkopenly with my line managerif I was feeling stressed.’By discussing these issuesand building trust, peoplemay feel more confident totalk about their problems –helping the organisation totackle them early.SupportTraining Hold regular one-to-oneand team meetings to talkabout any emerging issues orpressures. Regularly consult with peopleto ensure training is up todate. Include work-related stress orpressures as a standing itemfor meetings with employeesand/or performance reviews. Consider buddying systemsor work shadowing to improveunderstanding of roles acrossthe team. Find examples of how peoplewould like, or have received,good support from managersor employees. Offer access to counsellors ortraining in basic counsellingskills.Environment Assess the risk of physicalviolence and verbal abuse byconsulting with employeesand others, such as the policeand charities. Provide training to helpemployees deal with anddefuse difficult situations.Resources Share information on areasof support available with youremployees like assistanceprogrammes, charities,occupational health andexternal organisations. Talk about the ways yourorganisation can providesupport if someone isexperiencing problems outsidework.Agreed action planSet a date to revisit these proposed changesPreventing work-related stress 13
Conversation Four: RelationshipsHow your employeeshould feel They are not subjected to unacceptable behaviours such asbullying or harassment at work. The organisation promotes positive behaviours at work. The organisation has agreed policies and procedures toprevent or resolve unacceptable behaviour. The organisation has systems in place to enable andencourage managers to deal with unacceptable behaviour. The organisation has systems in place to enable andencourage employees to report unacceptable behaviour.Go through the following questions with your employee or team.Have you experienced or witnessed unacceptable behaviour at work? Do you feel satisfied with howwas this dealt with?Do you feel that honest, open communication is encouraged in your organisation?Do you feel that you know where to go and what to do if you experience or witness unacceptablebehaviour? Do you feel confident that steps will be taken to stop this behaviour?What improvements or support could be put in place to help with any of the issues you have talkedabout? Think about you, your line manager, your organisation.Set a date to revisit these proposed changes14 Preventing work-related stress
Conversation Four: RelationshipsThe ‘Sources of furtheradvice’ section (pages21 and 22) includes linksto HSE’s free stress riskassessment template,example risk assessmentson stress written for smallbusinesses and links toAcas guidance on bullyingand Equality and HumanRights Commission (EHRC)guidance on harassment. Have an agreement withemployees and senior leaderson which behaviours areunacceptable. Have a written policy fordealing with unacceptablebehaviour and procedures forreporting incidents. Regularly communicate thesepolicies and procedures toemployees and make sure thatthey are understood. Encourage and provideopportunities for employees tosocialise together. Make sure that you areproviding the same level ofsupport and communicationsfor employees who work inisolation like lone workers orthose in separate locations. Find ways to celebratesuccess. Have a confidential system forpeople to report unacceptablebehaviour.In 2016/17, on average, 24working days were lost forevery case of stress, anxietyor depression caused ormade worse by work. Encourage goodcommunication and providetraining to help, such aslistening skills, confidencebuilding and assertiveness.Agreed action planSet a date to revisit these proposed changesPreventing work-related stress 15
Conversation Five: RoleHow your employeeshould feel They understand their role and responsibilities. The organisation provides information to enable them tounderstand their role and all of their responsibilities. The requirements the organisation places on them are clear. They are able to raise concerns about any uncertainties orconflicts they have in their role and responsibilities throughthe systems that the organisation has in place.Go through the following questions with your employee or team.Do you feel clear on what your responsibilities are?Are you clear on what your performance objectives are and what success looks like for you, yourarea/department and the organisation? Do you feel that they are achievable?Do you feel you understand how work is structured in your department and in the widerorganisation? Do you know who is doing what and why and how your role fits in?What improvements or support could be put in place to help with any of the issues you have talkedabout? Think about you, your line manager, your organisation.Set a date to revisit these proposed changes16 Preventing work-related stress
Conversation Five: RoleDid you know that stress,anxiety and depressioncaused or made worse bywork account for 37% of allwork-related ill health casesin Great Britain?New starters Give all new employees athorough induction into yourorganisation and its policiesand procedures. Includedetails of where to getsupport or who to speak toabout stress.CommunicationMind and Time to Change’stoolkit, ‘Tackling stress inthe workplace: what you cando’ brings together differentorganisations’ resources onwork-related stress. To findout more, select ‘Toolkits’ atwww.mentalhealthatwork.org.uk Provide clear work objectives. Define work structures clearlyso that all team membersknow who is doing whatand why. Hold regular one-to-onemeetings to ensure people areclear about what is plannedfor the coming months. Introduce or revise jobdescriptions with theinvolvement of the employeeto ensure the core functionsand priorities are clear.Role Introduce personal workplans which are aligned tothe objectives of the team/organisation. Introduce or revise jobdescriptions to ensure thecore functions and prioritiesare clear. Review job descriptionsregularly, especially followingchange, and discuss training/retraining regularly too. Agree specific standards ofperformance for individualtasks and review regularly.Hold regular team meetings toenable employees to discussany issues. Display departmental/organisational targetsand objectives.Agreed action planSet a date to revisit these proposed changesPreventing work-related stress 17
Conversation Six: ChangeHow your employeeshould feel The organisation engages with them frequently whenundergoing change. They are provided with timely information, enabling them tounderstand the reasons for proposed changes. They are consulted on changes and provided withopportunities for them to influence proposals. They are aware of the probable impact of any changes to theirjob and, if necessary, they are given training to support anychanges in their job.Go through the following questions with your employee or team.Do you feel that your organisation handles change well?Do you feel you are properly consulted when changes are made which affect you and your role?Do you feel the reasons for the change are explained well?Do you feel that you are involved in the planning process when changes are made?What improvements or support could be put in place to help with any of the issues you have talkedabout? Think about you, your line manager, your organisation.Set a date to revisit these proposed changes18 Preventing work-related stress
Conversation Six: ChangeNever underestimate theeffects of ‘minor’ changes.Seemingly small changescan have a big impact onpeople’s ways of working,their morale and level ofwork-related stress.ConsultationCommunication Define and explain key stepsof changes being made. Start communication earlyand, as far as possible, makeit a two-way conversation. Consult employees earlyand throughout the changeprocess. Build in consultation andsupport as key elements ofany change process. Involve employees in theplanning process. Provide a system foremployees to comment andask questions before, duringand after the change. Review how the change willimpact on departmental andindividual objectives andworkloads. Include training/retrainingneeds as part of your changeprocess. Explain what the organisationwants to achieve and why itis essential that the changetakes place. Explain the timescales ofchanges and how changes willimpact directly on them. Have an agreed system forcommunicating to employeeswhy a change is happening. Have agreed methods ofcommunication (such asmeetings, notice boards,letters, email and feedbackforms) and their frequency. Don’t rely on a singlecommunication route – mostpeople may have access toa PC in work but what aboutthose who don’t, or those whowork off-site? Make sure that employeesare aware of the impact of thechange being made on theirjobs. Talk about the potentialneed for (re)training.Agreed action planSet a date to revisit these proposed changesPreventing work-related stress 19
20 Preventing work-related stress
Sources of further adviceThis Talking Toolkitcan form part of yourorganisation’s responseto preventing workrelated stress. If peopleyou work with areexperiencing stress, theyshould be encouraged totalk to someone, whetherit’s a manager, their tradeunion representative,GP or an occupationalhealth team.Samaritans provideconfidential, nonjudgemental emotionalsupport for peopleexperiencing feelingsof distress.Telephone: 116 123(24 hours a day,free to call)Website:www.samaritans.orgStressMental healthHSE’s guidance on work-relatedstress: www.hse.gov.uk/stressThe government commissionedLord Stevenson and PaulFarmer to review the role ofemployers supporting individualswith mental health conditions.Their ‘Thriving at Work’ reportsets out ‘Core Standards’ thatthe reviewers recommendemployers of all sizes can andshould put in place. You canread the full report at: nd-employersMind has guidance on stressand how to manage it: thy Working Lives (Scotland)provide information andguidance on tackling stress inthe workplace: �s free Wellness ActionPlans are an easy, practical wayof helping people to supporttheir own mental health atwork: wellnessaction-plan-download/Business in the community, inpartnership with the UK HealthSecurity Agency has createdthe Mental Health for EmployersToolkit, to help them build aculture that champions goodmental health: mployers-toolkit/Preventing work-related stress 21
Violence, bullyingand harassment ordiscriminationHeads Together and Mind’swebsite brings togetherresources, training, informationand tools to make workplacewellbeing a priority: www.mentalhealthatwork.org.uk/Training opportunities availableonline can help improveawareness about mental healthand develop key skills. If you’rebased in Scotland, you canaccess NHS Health Scotland’sMentally Healthy Workplacescourse: https://learning.publichealthscotland.scotHealthy Working Wales is aWelsh Government programmehelping employers supportpeople in Wales to stay fit andhealthy so they can remain inemployment, or return to workfollowing a period of ill health.They offer free resources onmental health and stress: rking-wales/Mind Cymru runs the Time toChange campaign for cymrucampaigns/time-to-changewales/22 Preventing work-related stressHSE guidance on ways toprevent, manage and respondto complaints of inappropriatebehaviour: https://www.hse.gov.uk/violence/Acas advice – Bullying andharassment at work: a guidefor managers and ing-harassmentdiscrimination-complaintCIPD advice – Harassmentand bullying at /emp-law/harassment/factsheet?IsSrchRes 1EHRC has advice ontackling discrimination andharassment: https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/enSee Me in Work (Scotland),Preventing unlawfuldiscrimination – A checklistfor employers: checklist.pdfSee Me in Work (Scotland),Understanding stigma: /Tools and templatesfrom HSEHSE’s stress indicator andanalysis tools can be used toassess the level of work-relatedstress within your organisation.An action plan template canbe used to plan how yourorganisation will tackle theidentified stressors.The tools and template areavailable at: htmStress risk assessment examplesof how smaller organisationscan approach risk m
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Further informationFor information about health and safety, or to reportinconsistencies or inaccuracies in this guidance,visit www.hse.gov.uk. You can order HSE pricedpublications at https://books.hse.gov.ukHSE priced publications are also available frombookshops.This publication is available on the HSE website atwww.hse.gov.uk/stress/talking-toolkit.htmThis guidance is issued by the Health and SafetyExecutive. Following the guidance is not compulsory,unless specifically stated, and you are free to takeother action. But if you do follow the guidance youwill normally be doing enough to comply with thelaw. Health and safety inspectors seek to securecompliance with the law and may refer to this guidance. Crown copyright If you wish to reuse this informationvisit www.hse.gov.uk for details.First published 11/21.Published by the Health and Safety Executive 11/21.
The Talking Toolkit should not be used in isolation as an employer's only response if there is an existing problem with work-related stress in the organisation. It can be provided to line managers to help them start to have simple, practical conversations with employees. The toolkit has six templates for six different conversations. Each
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