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The
6 HSE stress tests
Draft Standard
1 - Demands
Demands
- 85% of employees must say they can cope with the demands of their job
The
organisation has achieved the standard if:
- at
least 85% of employees indicate that they are able to cope
with the demands of their jobs; and systems
are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns.
State
to be achieved:
- The
organisation provides employees (including managers) with adequate
and achievable demands at work.
- Job
demands are assessed in terms of quantity, complexity, and intensity
and are matched to people’s skills and abilities.
- Employees
have the necessary competencies to be able to carry out the core
functions of their job.
- Employees
who are given high demands are able to have a say over the way the
work is undertaken (see standard on Control).
- Employees
who are given high demands receive adequate support from their
managers and colleagues (see standard on support).
- Repetitive
and boring jobs are limited, so far as is reasonably practicable.
- Employees
are not exposed to a poor physical working environment (the
organisation has undertaken a risk assessment to ensure that
physical hazards are under appropriate controls).
- Employees
are not exposed to physical violence or verbal abuse.
- Employees
are provided with mechanisms which enable them to raise concerns
about health and safety issues (eg dangers - real or perceived,
working conditions) and working patterns (eg shift work systems,
uncertain hours, etc) and where necessary appropriate action is
taken.
Draft Standard
2 - Control
Control
- 85% must feel they have an adequate say over their job
The
organisation has achieved the standard if:
- at
least 85% of employees indicate that they are able to have a say
about the way they do their work; and
- systems
are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns.
State
to be achieved:
- The
organisation provides employees with the opportunity to have a say
about the way their work is undertaken.
- Where
possible, the organisation designs work activity so that the pace of
the work is rarely driven by an external source (eg a machine).
- Where
possible, employees are encouraged to use their skills and
initiative to complete tasks.
- Where
possible employees are encouraged to develop new skills to help them
undertake new and challenging pieces of work.
- Employees
receive adequate support when asked to undertake new tasks -
employees are supported, even if things go wrong.
- Employees
are able to exert a degree of control over when breaks can be taken.
- Employees
are able to make suggestions to improve their work environment and
these suggestions are given due consideration.
Draft
Standard 3 - Support
Support
- 85% must say they have the back-up they need
The
organisation has achieved the standard if:
- at
least 85% of 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.
State
to be achieved:
- The
organisation provides employees (including managers) with adequate
support at work.
- There
are systems in place to help employees (including managers) provide
adequate support to their staff or colleagues.
- Employees
know how to call upon support from their managers and colleagues.
- Employees
are encouraged to seek support at an early stage if they feel as
though they are unable to cope.
- The
organisation has systems to help employees with work-related or
home-related issues (eg EAPs) and employees are aware of these.
Draft
Standard 4 - Relationships
Relationships
- 65% must say they do not have to face unacceptable behaviour such as
bullying
The
organisation has achieved the standard if:
- at
least 65% of employees indicate that they are not subjected to
unacceptable behaviours (eg bullying) at work; and
- systems
are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns.
State
to be achieved:
- The
organisation has in place agreed procedures to effectively prevent,
or quickly resolve, conflict at work.
- These
procedures are agreed with employees and their representatives and
enable employees to confidentially report any concerns they might
have.
- The
organisation has a policy for dealing with unacceptable behaviour at
work. This has been agreed with employees and their representatives.
- The
policy for dealing with unacceptable behaviour at work has been
widely communicated in the organisation.
- Consideration
is given to the way teams are organised to ensure that they are
cohesive, have a sound structure, clear leadership and objectives.
- Employees
are encouraged to talk to their line manager, employee
representative, or external provider about any behaviours that are
causing them concern at work.
- Individuals
in teams are encouraged to be open and honest with each other and
are aware of the penalties associated with unacceptable behaviour.
Draft Standard
5 - Role
Role
- 65% must say they understand their roles and responsibilities
The
organisation has achieved the standard if:
- at
least 65% of employees indicate that they understand their role and
responsibilities; and
- systems
are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns.
State
to be achieved:
- The
organisation ensures that, so far as possible, the demands it places
upon employees (including managers) do not conflict.
- The
organisation provides inductions for employees to ensure they
understand their role within the organisation.
- The
organisation ensures that employees (including managers) have a
clear understanding of their roles and responsibilities in their
specific job (this can be achieved through a plan of work).
- The
organisation ensures that employees understand how their job fits
into the overall aims and objectives of the
organisation/department/unit.
- Systems
are in place to enable employees to raise concerns about any
uncertainties or conflicts they have in their role.
- Systems
are in place to enable employees to raise concerns about any
uncertainties or conflicts they have about their responsibilities.
Note:
Role conflict exists when an individual is confronted by conflicting job
demands or by doing things he or she does not really want to do, or by
tasks which the individual does not believe are part of their job.
Workers may often feel themselves torn between two groups of people who
demand different types of behaviour, or who believe the job entails
different functions.
Role
ambiguity arises when individuals do not have a clear picture about
their work objectives, their co-workers’ expectations of them, and the
scope and responsibilities of their job. Often this ambiguity results
simply because a manager or supervisor has never adequately explained
what is required of them or because the job has changed without this
being acknowledged in the job description.
Draft Standard
6 - Change
Change
- 65% must say they are involved in organisational change
The
organisation has achieved the standard if:
- at
least 65% of employees indicate that the organisation engages them
frequently when undergoing an organisational change; and
- systems
are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns.
State
to be achieved:
- The
organisation ensures that employees (including managers) understand
the reason for proposed changes.
- Employees
receive adequate communication during the change process.
- The
organisation builds adequate employee consultation into its change
programme and provides opportunities for employees to comment on the
proposals.
- Employees
are made aware of the impact of the change on their jobs.
- Employees
are made aware of the timetable for action, and the proposed first
steps of the change process.
- Employees
receive support during the change process.
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The Business
Development Centre has a well earned reputation for guiding and
supporting individuals, teams, and whole organisations towards top
level performance and achievement using tried and tested PP methodology.
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