Stress Management
Dealing with Work Related Stress:
Background
The incidence of work-related stress has increased drastically over the years where the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has identified stress as the second most common occupational health problem in the EU. In addition stress is also a major cause of absenteeism with possible effects on productivity, performance and morale in organisations and increasing insurance premiums. Stress can therefore have a detrimental impact on any organisations.
Although currently the legal position of stress has no legislation which specifically deals with stress but, there are a number of statutory provisions, common laws and contractual duties which are relevant to dealing with employees who are stressed. Therefore it is essential for employers to take practical steps to tackle the causes of stress to avoid legal claims.
Stress training can benefit organisations and individuals by:
- Raising overall awareness of stress.
- Encouraging behavioural change within individuals and culture change within organisations.
- Helping to communicate stress management policies within the organisation.
GsmSafety can help organisations deal with workplace stress by offering stress management training to managers and employees.
1. Stress Management Programme for Managers:
Duration: A one day course
This one day programme has been specifically designed for managers to help them be aware of the actions they should take when managing work-related stress. These actions include reducing stress among staff, meeting the HSA requirements of best practice and how to reduce their own levels of stress. Successful completion can assist managers to become more effective in their management of staff and identifying stress as an occupational hazard.
Programme:
- What is stress?
- The causes and effects of work-related stress (WRS)
- Employers responsibilities: The legal obligations in relation to WRS
- Managers role in managing stress in the workplace
- How to identify hazards in the workplace
- Carrying out a stress risk assessment
- The approach to bullying and harassment
- Techniques for best practice in respect of work-related stress
- Methods and approach to preventing and controlling of WRS
- How to approach staff suffering from stress
- How to manage personal stress
Approach:
The programme is delivered by experienced trainers who provide clients with advice, consultancy and training on a daily basis. Programme participants are encouraged to express their views and experiences. The programme facilitates participant discussion to ensure a thorough understanding of the key points and their application. Real life case studies and exercises will be used to ensure a thorough practical understanding of each topic.
Course Fee: Available on request
2. Stress Management Programme for Employees
Duration: Half day course
This half day programme allow delegates to understand how to identity and manage their own stress through using effective techniques and practices to help control the possible effects of stress in their lives.
Programme:
- What is ‘stress’
- Common causes and effects of stress
- How to manage personal stress
Course Fee: Available upon request
3. Stress Risk Assessment
Current health and safety law have legal requirements for employers where they are required to risk assess their employees work activities to identify any hazards which may cause harm to them or anyone else affected by their activities. More so measures need to be implemented to prevent harm to those people. Stress risk assessments can benefit employers in terms of reducing potential costs due to work-related stress (WRS) for example absenteeism, lower productivity, improve health and safety in the workplace and increased morale.
Gsm Safety provides a comprehensive stress risk assessments to identify and assess potential and actual stress hazards in the workplace in order to investigate the level of risk the hazard has to people’s health and safety as a result from work activities. More importantly, preventing the hazards and risks from occurring or become minimised. A proactive approach will be taken using three levels of interventions: Primary, secondary and tertiary.
- Causes of stress including the level of risk to individuals and organisation will be identified
- Advice and recommendations for minimising and controlling the hazards and risks will be given as well as helping clients to implement them
- Finally advice on treatments and rehabilitation of those who have suffered ill health as a result of work-related stress (WRS) will be provided to clients
Fee: Available on request
4. Writing/Updating Stress Policies and Procedures
Ensure your policies and procedures should meet legal requirements and are:
- Suitable and sufficient.
- Practical.
- Implementable.
A policy is only of use if both management and staff can understand and work within the policy. Should your organisation have internal management systems for health and safety or OHSAS 18001 which has a requirement for occupational health risk management, ensuring your stress policy and procedures meet PAS1010: 2011 will assist in the attainment.
Fee: Available on request
5. Stress Consultation
Stress consultation and consultancy will advise you and provide you with a tailored solution for your organisation. We will:
- Work with both your HR and H&S team to ensure you have a suitable stress management strategy.
- Review your policies and procedures to ensure suitability.
- Assist your senior management team to understand stress and to support stress initiatives.
- Facilitate focus groups to ensure your resources are being allocated to most essential and beneficial initiatives.
- Assist your steering group / SHE committee to achieve the strategy.
Fee: Available on request
