The causes of, and controls for, work-related stress

The HSE has identified six key areas of work design that, if not managed properly, are linked with poor health, lower productivity and higher accident and sickness absence. They are called the Management Standards.

1. Demands. Workload, work patterns and the work environment, including high work pace and time pressure, continual and short deadlines, understaffing, long or unsocial hours, shift work and inflexible hours. Controls may include:

• adequate and achievable demands in relation to the agreed hours of work
• matching people's skills and abilities to the demands of the job
• designing jobs to be within the capabilities of employees
• addressing employees' concerns about their work environment
• limits on working hours or numbers of shifts
• achievable deadlines and targets
• job demands that are neither too high nor too low
• safe staffing levels
• participatory approaches to scheduling
• flexible working arrangements
• planned breaks
• welfare facilities and support available during atypical hours

2. Control. How much say a person has in the way they do their work, including lack of control over job design or workload and limited participation in deciding their own work. Controls may include:

• control over pace of work where possible
• encouraging employees to use their skills and initiative
• encouraging employees to develop new skills for new and challenging work, and the organisation encouraging this
• a say over when breaks are taken
• consultation on work patterns
• participatory approaches to job design, work organisation and decision making
• frequent and open communication

3. Support. The encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by the organisation, line management and colleagues. Problem factors include social or physical isolation, limited support from supervisors or colleagues, authoritarian supervision and poor line management, violence, harassment or bullying, and discrimination and exclusion. Controls may include:

• policies and procedures that adequately support employees
• systems that enable and encourage managers to support their staff
• systems that enable and encourage employees to support colleagues
• employees knowing what support is available and how and when to get it
• employees knowing how to get the resources they need to do the job
• regular, constructive feedback
• frameworks for preventing violence, harassment and discrimination, and for investigating and dealing effectively with incidents
• opportunities to improve the knowledge, attitudes and skills of supervisors and line managers
• opportunities for peer support, including during atypical working hours or at remote sites

4. Relationships. Promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable behaviour, so that employees are not subjected to behaviours such as bullying. Controls may include:

• promoting positive behaviour at work to avoid conflict and ensure fairness
• employees sharing information relevant to their work
• agreed policies and procedures to prevent or resolve unacceptable behaviour
• systems that enable and encourage managers to deal with unacceptable behaviour
• systems that enable and encourage employees to report it

5. Role. Whether people understand their role in the organisation, and whether the organisation makes sure they do not have conflicting roles. Factors to consider include an unclear job role within the organisation or team, lack of variety, under-use of skills, and being under-skilled for the work. Controls may include:

• making the different requirements placed on employees compatible, as far as possible
• giving employees the information they need to understand their role and responsibilities
• making the requirements placed on employees clear, as far as possible
• systems that let employees raise concerns about any uncertainty or conflict in their role
• clearly defined and sustainable roles, reporting structures and performance requirements
• participatory approaches to job design
• task rotation or job redesign

6. Change. How organisational change, large or small, is managed and communicated. Problem factors include unclear organisational objectives, poor communication, and a culture that allows discrimination or abuse. Controls may include:

• timely information that helps employees understand the reasons for proposed changes
• adequate consultation, with chances for employees to influence proposals
• employees being aware of the likely impact of changes on their jobs, with training where needed
• employees knowing the timetable for changes
• access to relevant support during changes
• meaningful consultation and cooperation with workers or their representatives
• organisational frameworks for dealing with unfair treatment, offensive behaviour and abuse
• support for affected workers, including access to workers' representatives where they exist

Summary notes for Element 5 · Cheat sheet · Glossary. A study aid, not published or endorsed by NEBOSH.