| Building a resilient workforce to manage | | | | observing working relationships (especially |
| pressure effectively'Resilience' is the new | | | | team dynamics), and questioning changes in |
| buzzword for the process of adapting well in | | | | attitude and behaviour.Stress management |
| the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, | | | | training can then build on this by teaching |
| threats or other 'stressors'. It's how we | | | | employees about the nature and sources of |
| 'bounce back' from difficult situations. And | | | | stress, its effects on health, and the |
| fortunately resilience isn't a characteristic | | | | personal skills needed to reduce it. Training |
| that we either do or don't have. It involves | | | | may also help reduce stress symptoms such as |
| behaviours, thoughts and actions that can be | | | | anxiety and sleep disturbances, and has the |
| learned and developed.Studies have shown that | | | | added advantage of being relatively |
| the most important factors in building | | | | inexpensive.Employees also need to know how |
| resilience include:- having caring and | | | | to raise concerns about work pressure |
| supportive relationships- the ability to make | | | | (informally and formally) - for example by |
| realistic plans and take steps to carry them | | | | speaking to their supervisor or manager, |
| out- possessing a positive | | | | through an existing grievance procedure, or |
| self-view- confidence in your strengths and | | | | under a dedicated stress policy. The key is |
| abilities- good communication skills- being | | | | that employees should find it as easy and |
| able to manage strong feelings and | | | | unthreatening as possible to speak up about |
| impulses- strong problem-solving abilitiesSo | | | | stress at work, and should be able to do so |
| if these are the qualities we need to | | | | without fear of recrimination or any other |
| increase our resilience as individuals, what | | | | negative outcomes.Mediation and negotiationIn |
| lessons can we learn in terms of the | | | | mediation, the parties in a dispute express |
| characteristics and culture required to build | | | | their views on a contentious matter, |
| a 'resilient' organisation?Building | | | | establish common ground, and move towards a |
| resilience by reducing stressBecause our | | | | solution that's acceptable to all. In |
| working lives are becoming increasingly | | | | negotiation, the aim is to reach agreement on |
| stressful, in November 2004 the Health and | | | | a course of action that satisfies at least |
| Safety Executive announced its new Management | | | | some of the claims of both sides. Access to |
| Standards for work-related stress, which are | | | | mediation and negotiation are therefore vital |
| designed to help ensure that organisations | | | | in enabling workplace disputes to be resolved |
| address key aspects of workplace stress (or | | | | before they escalate into stress-inducing or |
| 'risk factors') including demands, control, | | | | bullying behaviours which can be much more |
| support, relationships, role and change. For | | | | difficult to resolve.Rehabilitation back to |
| each risk factor, the Management Standards | | | | workWhere employees have been forced to take |
| include a description of what should be | | | | time away from work as a result of stress, |
| happening in an organisation (or 'states to | | | | their rehabilitation back to work needs to be |
| be achieved') in order for the standard to be | | | | carefully managed. For those employees who |
| met. 'Demands', for example, includes issues | | | | require specialist support, Employee |
| like workload, work patterns and the work | | | | Assistance Programmes and counselling |
| environment. States to be achieved are | | | | services are a vital component in employee |
| that:- The organisation provides employees | | | | well being.Employee counsellingIn February |
| with adequate and achievable demands in | | | | 2002, the Court of Appeal ruled, inter alia, |
| relation to the agreed hours of | | | | that 'any employer who offered a confidential |
| work- People's skills and abilities are | | | | counselling service was unlikely to be found |
| matched to the job demands- Jobs are designed | | | | in breach of duty of care, by the courts'. |
| to be within the capabilities of | | | | Counselling should therefore be regarded as |
| employees- Employees' concerns about their | | | | an intervention to be included alongside |
| work environment are addressedThe guidance | | | | other supportive services available to |
| centres around carrying out a risk assessment | | | | employees.First contact counselling |
| for stress (this is also a legal | | | | teamsThese teams are made up of volunteers |
| requirement), the results of which should | | | | (from the organisation) who are trained in |
| highlight problem areas that need to be | | | | basic counselling skills, and receive ongoing |
| addressed in order to reduce (or ideally | | | | training and supervision. They're often used |
| remove the causes of) stress.But while the | | | | as a 'first contact' for employees, for whom |
| Management Standards provide a foundation for | | | | they can provide an active listening service |
| stress reduction, there are many other | | | | and help to deal with work-related problems |
| actions that organisations should also | | | | such as stress, bullying, change and |
| consider in order to increase its resilience, | | | | mediation.Employee Assistance Programmes |
| some of the most important of which include | | | | (EAPs)An EAP offers employees access to a |
| the following:Commitment to stress | | | | confidential counselling and information |
| managementA Stress Policy should be | | | | service, and to be effective must have the |
| implemented in conjunction with staff liaison | | | | backing of senior management. However, |
| groups, and commitment should begin at the | | | | although it can play an important role in |
| most senior level and be cascaded downwards. | | | | helping to deal with stress-related problems, |
| There's little point in introducing stress | | | | it should not detract from the importance of |
| management training for line managers, for | | | | line managers actively listening to their |
| example, if senior managers have little or no | | | | staff. Nor must an application to the EAP be |
| commitment to minimising or eliminating | | | | misinterpreted by managers as suggesting a |
| excessive pressure within the | | | | lack of confidence in their own ability to |
| organisation.Recruitment and selectionWhen | | | | deal with stress-related issues.What |
| recruiting it's important that both the | | | | shouldn't you do?Depending on the nature of |
| organisation and applicant understand the | | | | your organisation, concierge services, or |
| requirements of the post and potential | | | | complementary therapies such as reflexology, |
| pressures involved. One conclusion of a | | | | yoga, massage etc, may also be of benefit. |
| landmark Court of Appeal case in February | | | | Typically, however, they should be |
| 2002 was that 'there are no occupations that | | | | incorporated within an holistic approach to |
| should be regarded as intrinsically dangerous | | | | reducing work-related stress and increasing |
| to mental health'. It's therefore essential | | | | resilience - rather than being expected to |
| to combine an appropriate selection policy | | | | resolve underlying problems on their own.If |
| with sufficient job-specific and practical | | | | an organisation introduces these types of |
| training - to enable individuals to carry out | | | | 'stress-busting' initiatives without a solid |
| their jobs within their capabilities and with | | | | foundation of stress management training and |
| the minimum of stress.Management | | | | employee counselling support, they risk |
| styleEffective communication is often | | | | adding to problems of work-related stress - |
| neglected in management training, yet it's | | | | through frustration, disillusion, and a |
| essential to good management - by reducing | | | | belief amongst employees that the true causes |
| misunderstanding and the opportunity for | | | | of stress aren't being taken seriously, and |
| discontent.Effective communication includes | | | | the organisation is simply paying lip service |
| active listening skills - engaging with the | | | | to the problem.Ultimately, reducing workplace |
| person you're listening to and responding | | | | stress and building resilience is largely a |
| appropriately. Good communication at all | | | | matter of common sense and good management |
| levels will help ensure that everyone in the | | | | practice, and simply requires employers and |
| organisation can work with confidence - | | | | employees to work together for the common |
| reducing the opportunities for stress to | | | | good. Both share a joint responsibility for |
| develop.Work-related trainingMany | | | | reducing stress - which, when this is |
| organisations face sudden changes in work | | | | successful, can help employees to enjoy their |
| demands, and employees need the necessary | | | | work more, and businesses to thrive as a |
| training and experience to meet the | | | | result.For this to become a reality, |
| ever-increasing demands made on them. | | | | organisations need to work towards the |
| Examples include training in resilience, time | | | | creation of a 'healthy', resilient work |
| management, communication skills, etc. | | | | culture - one where there is an intelligent |
| Training in communication (and particularly | | | | two-way dialogue between managers and |
| active listening) skills is essential to help | | | | employees; where concerns can be raised in |
| ensure that managers are aware of their team | | | | the confidence that actions will be taken; |
| members' problems and in a position to offer | | | | and where everyone in the organisation |
| early interventions to resolve these.Stress | | | | recognises stress as an unnecessary and |
| awareness and stress management trainingFor | | | | unacceptable drain on creativity and |
| stress management to become integral to | | | | resources. Or to put it another way, a |
| corporate culture, initiatives must be | | | | culture where healthy ways of working have |
| introduced that will raise awareness of | | | | become so ingrained that the need for the |
| work-related stress. In particular, | | | | Management Standards will no longer |
| recognising the early warning signs and | | | | exist.Carole Spiers GroupInternational Stress |
| symptoms should become integral to management | | | | Management & Employee Wellbeing |
| strategy. This can be achieved by monitoring | | | | ConsultancyGordon House, 83-85 Gordon Ave, |
| sickness absence (especially short-term), | | | | Stanmore, Middlesex. HA7 3QR. |
| carrying out confidential staff surveys, | | | | |