30 January 2017
Stress at work has become a serious issue given the increased challenges within the workplace. Last year 70% of those health and safety representatives surveyed by the Trades Union Congress (“TUC”) stated stress was their principal concern in their workplace. As a result, the TUC (in conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive (“HSE”)) has published a guide to help trade union health and safety representatives tackle workplace stress.
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The handbook is based on the HSE ‘management standards’ in handling stress. It breaks down the causes of work stress into the following areas:
- demands—issues like workload, work pattern and environment
- control—how much say someone has over the way in which they work
- support—available resources, line management and colleagues
- relationships—dealing with unacceptable behaviour and promoting positive working
- role—if the person understands their role and does not have conflicting roles
- change—how organisational change is communicated
The guide proposes that a group, made up of representatives from across every level of the organisation, gathers information on the current situation in the workplace and carries out a risk assessment based on the HSE standards.
The guide can be downloaded here: https://www.tuc.org.uk/workplace-issues/health-and-safety/stress/tuc-publishes-new-advice-union-reps-tackling-work-related
Employers have a duty of care towards their staff in this area and it is vital to ensure these issues are carefully considered within the workplace. Your BTO employment expert can help you manage the complex legal and practical issues arising in this thorny area.
Contact: David Hoey, Partner dho@bto.co.uk T: 0141 221 8012