Practitioner research

<p>Some of the strongest practitioner evidence regarding interventions to manage stress at work has been summarised below. These are empirical studies or work of publishable quality that provide case studies and reviews of interventions conducted in the workplace.<br /> <br /> The studies are presented under four headings: Manager Interventions; Comparative reviews of Stress Management Interventions; Organisational Interventions and Individual Interventions.</p>
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Author: Yarker, Lewis, Donaldson-Feilder & Flaxman (HSE report)

Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work. Identifying and developing the management behaviours necessary to implement the HSE Management Standards (2007)

Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work. Identifying and developing the management behaviours necessary to implement the HSE Management Standards (2007)

Over 400 employees, line managers and HR practitioners from five sectors took part in interviews and focus groups to identify the management behaviours that are linked with effective management of stress at work. Results showed 19 management competencies associated with the prevention and reduction of stress at work. For 18 of the competencies there were both negative and positive behaviours. 15 of the 19 competencies directly mapped onto the Management Standards, showing managers the behaviours relevant to each of the areas of work design associated with contributing to work stress. 3 competencies ‘Managing Workload and Resources’, ‘Participative Approach’ and ‘Communication’ were the competencies that were most commonly discussed by managers and employers in their interviews. Having identified management competencies that are important in the management of stress, it is possible to design interventions that can help build the suitable behaviour in managers to successfully manage stress in employees.

Author: Yarker, Lewis & Donaldson-Feilder (HSE report)

Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work. Identifying and developing the management behaviours necessary to implement the HSE Management Standards: Phase Two (2008)

Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work. Identifying and developing the management behaviours necessary to implement the HSE Management Standards: Phase Two (2008)

The aim of this study was to refine the competency framework developed from previous research and develop a Stress Management Competency Indicator Tool. Interviews and workshops were conducted with managers, stakeholders and stress experts and managers and direct reports completed a questionnaire. The competency framework developed in Phase One of the research (2007) was refined to 4 competencies which had 12 sub-competencies. The 4 competencies were: respectful and responsible: managing emotions and having integrity, managing and communicating existing and future work, reasoning/managing difficult situations and managing the individual within the team. The 4 competencies and 12 sub-competencies all mapped onto the 6 HSE Management Standards. A Stress Management Competency Indicator Tool was developed which measures how much a manager shows the management competencies that are necessary to prevent and reduce stress at work. This contained 66 questions. The refined framework and tool created as outputs of this work aid in the development of interventions to help managers better manage employee stress.

Author: Donaldson-Feilder, Lewis & Yarker (CIPD report)

Preventing stress. Promoting positive manager behaviour (2009)

Preventing stress. Promoting positive manager behaviour (2009)

This study examined the effectiveness of an intervention for managers developed to improve their management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work. Managers received either an upward feedback report or an upward feedback report and a half-day workshop. Most of the managers reported that the workshop resulted in them having greater awareness of their behaviour, upward feedback was particularly helpful in this process. Across both groups there was a greater understanding of their behaviour however, of those who didn’t receive feedback 13% felt their understanding was ‘poor’ whereas amongst those who received feedback none felt this when they had completed the workshop. After the workshop 75% believed they had modified their behaviour and 85% promised to take action to ensure changes occurred. Examining the employee scores of manager’s behaviours, the results imply that the intervention had the greatest benefit on those who were originally ‘ineffective’ managers. The results suggest that feedback from others plays a critical role in enabling managers to improve their behaviour.

Author: Donaldson-Feilder & Lewis (CIPD report)

Preventing stress: Promoting positive manager behaviour. Phase 4: How do organisations implement the findings in practice? (2011)

Preventing stress: Promoting positive manager behaviour. Phase 4: How do organisations implement the findings in practice? (2011)

This study examined how organisations used the findings from Phase 3 of this research and identified barriers and facilitators to putting the previous findings into practice. The results showed that for these interventions to be successful how the intervention fits into the broad organisational strategy needs to be considered, there needs to be a good relationship between the leaders of the different activities and the context of the intervention within the organisation is also critical. Interestingly the results showed that the success of the intervention was not determined by which department the intervention originated from or by where it was meant to sit within the organisation. This paper also includes case studies from organisations describing how they have used the findings regarding management competencies for preventing and reducing stress and barriers and facilitators to conducting the intervention.

Author: The Work Foundation report by Blaug, Kenyon & Lekhi

Stress at work. A report prepared for the Work Foundation’s principal partners (2007)

Stress at work. A report prepared for the Work Foundation’s principal partners (2007)

This review analysed different aspects of stress at work, including the legal and policy contexts within organisations and the effectiveness of interventions. Focusing on interventions, the review found that popular interventions aimed at the individual are relaxation guidance, education and nutrition training, coping skills development training and cognitive reappraisal. These can have a short term impact on reducing stress but these can incorrectly imply that employees are to blame for their stress. Cognitive behavioural approaches are popular secondary interventions used by organisations. Another frequently used secondary intervention is Employee Assistance Programmes, these typically include organised counselling, advice and assistance. Results suggest they can be effective however the solutions they offer may not be specific enough. A frequently used tertiary intervention is case management such as a return to work strategy for the employee. Evidence to support the effectiveness of these is questionable. The review concludes interventions to manage stress need to be implemented at the organisational level, e.g. changing causes of stress that are in the culture and climate, rather than solely implementing individual level interventions.

Author: Public Health England

Interventions to prevent burnout in high risk individuals: Evidence review (2016)

Interventions to prevent burnout in high risk individuals: Evidence review (2016)

The review found that many of the interventions related to stress and burnout are conducted at the individual level or small group rather than organisational and are moderately successful. Staff training can be an effective intervention for reducing burnout, for example a stress awareness course that has an emphasis on coping. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has been show to have a positive impact on reducing burnout and stress and was more successful than relaxation and meditation. It has been proposed that the influence of organisational level interventions lasts longer than that of individual level interventions. Modifying workload or working practices has been associated with decreased stressors and aspects linked with burnout. Additionally, managers backing and engaging in these interventions was associated with greater success of the interventions. A lot of the evidence regarding stress management interventions is collected from large scale organisations and health care organisations. There is a paucity of research within small and medium sized enterprises and it is not known whether all interventions will be suitable to all organisation types and sizes, or whether transferring interventions to different workplaces will affect their success.

Author: Health and Safety Executive report by Jordan, Gurr, Tinline, Giga, Faragher & Cooper

Beacons of excellence in stress prevention (2003)

Beacons of excellence in stress prevention (2003)

This review found that most interventions are targeted at the individual level and frequently used interventions are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and relaxation. Training and job redesign are also popular interventions. The review suggests that there is robust evidence in support of the use of co-worker support groups and participatory research and autonomy. The review concluded that for interventions to be successful it is essential there is a need for the intervention as realised by liaising with employees and to recognise and evaluate the risks. Another conclusion drawn from the evidence is that using a mixture of both work related and worker related interventions will be most successful. The review led to the design of a good practice model in stress prevention. There are certain elements that are critical in stress prevention success which should be used in a cyclical process, these are: top management commitment, individual, team and organisational interventions, risk analysis, stress prevention strategy, taking a participative approach and using a comprehensive stress prevention programme.

Author: European parliament & directorate-general for international policies of the union

Occupational health concerns: Stress-related and psychological problems associated with work (2013)

Occupational health concerns: Stress-related and psychological problems associated with work (2013)

This review examined the whole area of occupational health and work-related stress in the EU particularly within the UK. However, this summary focuses mainly on policy. A number of processes exist within the EU to address stress at work and associated problems. The 2004 European Framework Agreement on work-related stress offered employers and employees action-oriented recommendations for identifying, preventing and managing the issues of stress at work. Psychosocial risks are an objective in the national strategy on Occupational Health and Safety in 16 member states. Within the UK, policies relating to stress at work include the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999). The HSE developed the Management Standards which are 6 areas of work design that when managed well are linked with increased health and wellbeing, productivity and decreased absence. After the Community strategy on health and safety at work (2007-2012) the UK needed no extra regulations. A number of case studies reviewed in this report show the success of individual and organisational interventions used to tackle stress at work.

Author: British Occupational Health Research Foundation report by Seymour & Grove

Workplace interventions for people with common mental health problems: Evidence review and recommendations (2005)

Workplace interventions for people with common mental health problems: Evidence review and recommendations (2005)

This review found that there was moderate evidence to suggest stress management programmes have a short term or modest effect on factors linked with stress and moderate evidence to suggest that multi-mode approaches are successful. However there was a lack of strong evidence to support the use of organisational level interventions to manage common mental health problems. Individual level interventions were found to be successful, for example, much research supports the effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy amongst employees with common mental health problems and demonstrates it’s more successful than other interventions. Interventions involving therapy such as counselling may also be successful. Robust evidence suggests that amongst health care professionals interventions targeted at the individual may be more successful than multi-modal interventions. However, it may not be possible to generalise all these findings as some of the studies were specific to certain occupations.

Author: European Agency for Safety and Health at Work report by Hassard, Teoh, Cox, Dewe, Cosmar, Grundler, Flemming, Cosemans & Van den Broek

Calculating the cost of work-related stress and psychosocial risks. European Risk Observatory Literature Review (2014)

Calculating the cost of work-related stress and psychosocial risks. European Risk Observatory Literature Review (2014)

This document focuses on the costs of work related stress and psycho-social risks.  It takes a European perspective, introducing figures across Europe as well as a wide range of economic principles and ways in which the costs of stress can be calculated.  In addition, the review examines the cost-effectiveness of workplace interventions, for example it cites a study in the UK which reported an organisational intervention to decrease sickness absence and stress resulted in a saving of approximately £1.13 million over two years. It is a useful document for anyone looking to fully understand the full costs to the organisation, as well as those looking to understand the different trends across European countries. 

Author: Bergerman, Corabian & Harstall (Institute of Health Economics report)

Effectiveness of organizational interventions for the prevention of workplace stress (2009)

Effectiveness of organizational interventions for the prevention of workplace stress (2009)

This review focused on organisational level interventions. It concluded that the evidence didn’t show one intervention was more successful than another but that a number of interventions had significant impacts on stress, burnout, wellbeing and absenteeism. A psychological training programme and an intervention that used “action teams” – employees and managers discussed ways to enhance e.g. team communication, work scheduling and conflict resolution - were both found to significantly decrease stress. An emotion oriented care training programme and a participatory intervention were both associated with significant decreases in one element of burnout. Participatory approaches and procedural change interventions were both found to significantly increase psychological wellbeing. Additionally the participatory approaches were associated with a significant decrease in absenteeism. An organisational intervention including for example, greater teamwork, role clarification and a small modification in the organisation of shifts resulted in a significant decrease in sick leave. However, it is important to remember that a variety of factors can impact on the success of interventions, such as cultural context and the type of occupation.

Author: LaMontagne & Keegel (Institute for Safety, Compensation & Recovery Research report)

What organisational/employer level interventions are effective for preventing and treating occupational stress? (2010)

What organisational/employer level interventions are effective for preventing and treating occupational stress? (2010)

This review examined interventions specifically at the organisational level. It stated that comprehensive or systems approaches are those that combine primary, secondary and tertiary interventions. The authors concluded that high systems approaches to stress management interventions are very popular. Low systems approaches that are targeted at the individual level, such as coping skills training, positively effect individual outcomes but do not usually have the same effect on organisational outcomes. In contrast stress management interventions that are moderate and high systems and targeted at the organisational level, for example redesigning working conditions, have a positive effect on both individual and organisational outcomes. The conclusion was that it is better to take a systems or comprehensive approach to stress management interventions as these tend to be more successful and are more likely to impact positively on both individuals, for example resulting in better health, and organisational outcomes, for example decreased sickness absence.

Author: Halliwell (Mental Health Foundation report)

TfL case study from the Mindfulness Report (2010)

TfL case study from the Mindfulness Report (2010)

This paper examined Mindfulness exploring the theory behind Mindfulness, the effectiveness of courses and Mindfulness research. This summary focuses on the effectiveness of a TfL case study that was described within the report. Amongst employees who took the six week stress reduction workshop, which was a combination of Mindfulness, psychoeducation and CBT, a 71% decrease in the number of sick days for stress, anxiety and depression was seen over the subsequent three years. Sickness absence decreased by 50%. Additionally, 80% of course attendees described improved relationships, 79% reported they were better able to relax, 64% reported better sleep patterns and 53% stated they were happier at work. TfL identified that the two main health problems amongst employees were mental health and muscular-skeletal problems. Consequently, they established the course and any of the 20,000 employees could attend the course if they met the referral criteria.

Author: World Health Organisation report by Leka and Jain

Health impact of psychosocial hazards at work: An overview (2010)

Health impact of psychosocial hazards at work: An overview (2010)

Psychosocial hazards are elements of the management and design of work and its social and organisational context that could cause physical or psychological harm (Cox & Griffiths, 2005).  This report examines stress and health outcomes as a result of psychosocial hazards, in particular psychosocial and social health and physical health.  The report includes a wide range of studies, such as observational studies, randomised control trials, cross sectional studies, longitudinal studies, prospective studies and meta-analysis studies.  The report concludes there is considerable research to suggest psychosocial risks can impact on mental, physical and social health.

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Author: Yarker, Lewis, Donaldson-Feilder & Flaxman (HSE report)

Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work. Identifying and developing the management behaviours necessary to implement the HSE Management Standards (2007)

Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work. Identifying and developing the management behaviours necessary to implement the HSE Management Standards (2007)

Over 400 employees, line managers and HR practitioners from five sectors took part in interviews and focus groups to identify the management behaviours that are linked with effective management of stress at work. Results showed 19 management competencies associated with the prevention and reduction of stress at work. For 18 of the competencies there were both negative and positive behaviours. 15 of the 19 competencies directly mapped onto the Management Standards, showing managers the behaviours relevant to each of the areas of work design associated with contributing to work stress. 3 competencies ‘Managing Workload and Resources’, ‘Participative Approach’ and ‘Communication’ were the competencies that were most commonly discussed by managers and employers in their interviews. Having identified management competencies that are important in the management of stress, it is possible to design interventions that can help build the suitable behaviour in managers to successfully manage stress in employees.

Author: Yarker, Lewis, Donaldson-Feilder & Flaxman (HSE report)

Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work. Identifying and developing the management behaviours necessary to implement the HSE Management Standards (2007)

Over 400 employees, line managers and HR practitioners from five sectors took part in interviews and focus groups to identify the management behaviours that are linked with effective management of stress at work. Results showed 19 management competencies associated with the prevention and reduction of stress at work. For 18 of the competencies there were both negative and positive behaviours. 15 of the 19 competencies directly mapped onto the Management Standards, showing managers the behaviours relevant to each of the areas of work design associated with contributing to work stress. 3 competencies ‘Managing Workload and Resources’, ‘Participative Approach’ and ‘Communication’ were the competencies that were most commonly discussed by managers and employers in their interviews. Having identified management competencies that are important in the management of stress, it is possible to design interventions that can help build the suitable behaviour in managers to successfully manage stress in employees.

x
Author: Yarker, Lewis & Donaldson-Feilder (HSE report)

Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work. Identifying and developing the management behaviours necessary to implement the HSE Management Standards: Phase Two (2008)

Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work. Identifying and developing the management behaviours necessary to implement the HSE Management Standards: Phase Two (2008)

The aim of this study was to refine the competency framework developed from previous research and develop a Stress Management Competency Indicator Tool. Interviews and workshops were conducted with managers, stakeholders and stress experts and managers and direct reports completed a questionnaire. The competency framework developed in Phase One of the research (2007) was refined to 4 competencies which had 12 sub-competencies. The 4 competencies were: respectful and responsible: managing emotions and having integrity, managing and communicating existing and future work, reasoning/managing difficult situations and managing the individual within the team. The 4 competencies and 12 sub-competencies all mapped onto the 6 HSE Management Standards. A Stress Management Competency Indicator Tool was developed which measures how much a manager shows the management competencies that are necessary to prevent and reduce stress at work. This contained 66 questions. The refined framework and tool created as outputs of this work aid in the development of interventions to help managers better manage employee stress.

Author: Yarker, Lewis & Donaldson-Feilder (HSE report)

Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work. Identifying and developing the management behaviours necessary to implement the HSE Management Standards: Phase Two (2008)

The aim of this study was to refine the competency framework developed from previous research and develop a Stress Management Competency Indicator Tool. Interviews and workshops were conducted with managers, stakeholders and stress experts and managers and direct reports completed a questionnaire. The competency framework developed in Phase One of the research (2007) was refined to 4 competencies which had 12 sub-competencies. The 4 competencies were: respectful and responsible: managing emotions and having integrity, managing and communicating existing and future work, reasoning/managing difficult situations and managing the individual within the team. The 4 competencies and 12 sub-competencies all mapped onto the 6 HSE Management Standards. A Stress Management Competency Indicator Tool was developed which measures how much a manager shows the management competencies that are necessary to prevent and reduce stress at work. This contained 66 questions. The refined framework and tool created as outputs of this work aid in the development of interventions to help managers better manage employee stress.

x
Author: Donaldson-Feilder, Lewis & Yarker (CIPD report)

Preventing stress. Promoting positive manager behaviour (2009)

Preventing stress. Promoting positive manager behaviour (2009)

This study examined the effectiveness of an intervention for managers developed to improve their management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work. Managers received either an upward feedback report or an upward feedback report and a half-day workshop. Most of the managers reported that the workshop resulted in them having greater awareness of their behaviour, upward feedback was particularly helpful in this process. Across both groups there was a greater understanding of their behaviour however, of those who didn’t receive feedback 13% felt their understanding was ‘poor’ whereas amongst those who received feedback none felt this when they had completed the workshop. After the workshop 75% believed they had modified their behaviour and 85% promised to take action to ensure changes occurred. Examining the employee scores of manager’s behaviours, the results imply that the intervention had the greatest benefit on those who were originally ‘ineffective’ managers. The results suggest that feedback from others plays a critical role in enabling managers to improve their behaviour.

Author: Donaldson-Feilder, Lewis & Yarker (CIPD report)

Preventing stress. Promoting positive manager behaviour (2009)

This study examined the effectiveness of an intervention for managers developed to improve their management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work. Managers received either an upward feedback report or an upward feedback report and a half-day workshop. Most of the managers reported that the workshop resulted in them having greater awareness of their behaviour, upward feedback was particularly helpful in this process. Across both groups there was a greater understanding of their behaviour however, of those who didn’t receive feedback 13% felt their understanding was ‘poor’ whereas amongst those who received feedback none felt this when they had completed the workshop. After the workshop 75% believed they had modified their behaviour and 85% promised to take action to ensure changes occurred. Examining the employee scores of manager’s behaviours, the results imply that the intervention had the greatest benefit on those who were originally ‘ineffective’ managers. The results suggest that feedback from others plays a critical role in enabling managers to improve their behaviour.

x
Author: Donaldson-Feilder & Lewis (CIPD report)

Preventing stress: Promoting positive manager behaviour. Phase 4: How do organisations implement the findings in practice? (2011)

Preventing stress: Promoting positive manager behaviour. Phase 4: How do organisations implement the findings in practice? (2011)

This study examined how organisations used the findings from Phase 3 of this research and identified barriers and facilitators to putting the previous findings into practice. The results showed that for these interventions to be successful how the intervention fits into the broad organisational strategy needs to be considered, there needs to be a good relationship between the leaders of the different activities and the context of the intervention within the organisation is also critical. Interestingly the results showed that the success of the intervention was not determined by which department the intervention originated from or by where it was meant to sit within the organisation. This paper also includes case studies from organisations describing how they have used the findings regarding management competencies for preventing and reducing stress and barriers and facilitators to conducting the intervention.

Author: Donaldson-Feilder & Lewis (CIPD report)

Preventing stress: Promoting positive manager behaviour. Phase 4: How do organisations implement the findings in practice? (2011)

This study examined how organisations used the findings from Phase 3 of this research and identified barriers and facilitators to putting the previous findings into practice. The results showed that for these interventions to be successful how the intervention fits into the broad organisational strategy needs to be considered, there needs to be a good relationship between the leaders of the different activities and the context of the intervention within the organisation is also critical. Interestingly the results showed that the success of the intervention was not determined by which department the intervention originated from or by where it was meant to sit within the organisation. This paper also includes case studies from organisations describing how they have used the findings regarding management competencies for preventing and reducing stress and barriers and facilitators to conducting the intervention.

x
Author: The Work Foundation report by Blaug, Kenyon & Lekhi

Stress at work. A report prepared for the Work Foundation’s principal partners (2007)

Stress at work. A report prepared for the Work Foundation’s principal partners (2007)

This review analysed different aspects of stress at work, including the legal and policy contexts within organisations and the effectiveness of interventions. Focusing on interventions, the review found that popular interventions aimed at the individual are relaxation guidance, education and nutrition training, coping skills development training and cognitive reappraisal. These can have a short term impact on reducing stress but these can incorrectly imply that employees are to blame for their stress. Cognitive behavioural approaches are popular secondary interventions used by organisations. Another frequently used secondary intervention is Employee Assistance Programmes, these typically include organised counselling, advice and assistance. Results suggest they can be effective however the solutions they offer may not be specific enough. A frequently used tertiary intervention is case management such as a return to work strategy for the employee. Evidence to support the effectiveness of these is questionable. The review concludes interventions to manage stress need to be implemented at the organisational level, e.g. changing causes of stress that are in the culture and climate, rather than solely implementing individual level interventions.

Author: The Work Foundation report by Blaug, Kenyon & Lekhi

Stress at work. A report prepared for the Work Foundation’s principal partners (2007)

This review analysed different aspects of stress at work, including the legal and policy contexts within organisations and the effectiveness of interventions. Focusing on interventions, the review found that popular interventions aimed at the individual are relaxation guidance, education and nutrition training, coping skills development training and cognitive reappraisal. These can have a short term impact on reducing stress but these can incorrectly imply that employees are to blame for their stress. Cognitive behavioural approaches are popular secondary interventions used by organisations. Another frequently used secondary intervention is Employee Assistance Programmes, these typically include organised counselling, advice and assistance. Results suggest they can be effective however the solutions they offer may not be specific enough. A frequently used tertiary intervention is case management such as a return to work strategy for the employee. Evidence to support the effectiveness of these is questionable. The review concludes interventions to manage stress need to be implemented at the organisational level, e.g. changing causes of stress that are in the culture and climate, rather than solely implementing individual level interventions.

x
Author: Public Health England

Interventions to prevent burnout in high risk individuals: Evidence review (2016)

Interventions to prevent burnout in high risk individuals: Evidence review (2016)

The review found that many of the interventions related to stress and burnout are conducted at the individual level or small group rather than organisational and are moderately successful. Staff training can be an effective intervention for reducing burnout, for example a stress awareness course that has an emphasis on coping. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has been show to have a positive impact on reducing burnout and stress and was more successful than relaxation and meditation. It has been proposed that the influence of organisational level interventions lasts longer than that of individual level interventions. Modifying workload or working practices has been associated with decreased stressors and aspects linked with burnout. Additionally, managers backing and engaging in these interventions was associated with greater success of the interventions. A lot of the evidence regarding stress management interventions is collected from large scale organisations and health care organisations. There is a paucity of research within small and medium sized enterprises and it is not known whether all interventions will be suitable to all organisation types and sizes, or whether transferring interventions to different workplaces will affect their success.

Author: Public Health England

Interventions to prevent burnout in high risk individuals: Evidence review (2016)

The review found that many of the interventions related to stress and burnout are conducted at the individual level or small group rather than organisational and are moderately successful. Staff training can be an effective intervention for reducing burnout, for example a stress awareness course that has an emphasis on coping. Cognitive Behavioural Therapy has been show to have a positive impact on reducing burnout and stress and was more successful than relaxation and meditation. It has been proposed that the influence of organisational level interventions lasts longer than that of individual level interventions. Modifying workload or working practices has been associated with decreased stressors and aspects linked with burnout. Additionally, managers backing and engaging in these interventions was associated with greater success of the interventions. A lot of the evidence regarding stress management interventions is collected from large scale organisations and health care organisations. There is a paucity of research within small and medium sized enterprises and it is not known whether all interventions will be suitable to all organisation types and sizes, or whether transferring interventions to different workplaces will affect their success.

x
Author: Health and Safety Executive report by Jordan, Gurr, Tinline, Giga, Faragher & Cooper

Beacons of excellence in stress prevention (2003)

Beacons of excellence in stress prevention (2003)

This review found that most interventions are targeted at the individual level and frequently used interventions are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and relaxation. Training and job redesign are also popular interventions. The review suggests that there is robust evidence in support of the use of co-worker support groups and participatory research and autonomy. The review concluded that for interventions to be successful it is essential there is a need for the intervention as realised by liaising with employees and to recognise and evaluate the risks. Another conclusion drawn from the evidence is that using a mixture of both work related and worker related interventions will be most successful. The review led to the design of a good practice model in stress prevention. There are certain elements that are critical in stress prevention success which should be used in a cyclical process, these are: top management commitment, individual, team and organisational interventions, risk analysis, stress prevention strategy, taking a participative approach and using a comprehensive stress prevention programme.

Author: Health and Safety Executive report by Jordan, Gurr, Tinline, Giga, Faragher & Cooper

Beacons of excellence in stress prevention (2003)

This review found that most interventions are targeted at the individual level and frequently used interventions are Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and relaxation. Training and job redesign are also popular interventions. The review suggests that there is robust evidence in support of the use of co-worker support groups and participatory research and autonomy. The review concluded that for interventions to be successful it is essential there is a need for the intervention as realised by liaising with employees and to recognise and evaluate the risks. Another conclusion drawn from the evidence is that using a mixture of both work related and worker related interventions will be most successful. The review led to the design of a good practice model in stress prevention. There are certain elements that are critical in stress prevention success which should be used in a cyclical process, these are: top management commitment, individual, team and organisational interventions, risk analysis, stress prevention strategy, taking a participative approach and using a comprehensive stress prevention programme.

x
Author: European parliament & directorate-general for international policies of the union

Occupational health concerns: Stress-related and psychological problems associated with work (2013)

Occupational health concerns: Stress-related and psychological problems associated with work (2013)

This review examined the whole area of occupational health and work-related stress in the EU particularly within the UK. However, this summary focuses mainly on policy. A number of processes exist within the EU to address stress at work and associated problems. The 2004 European Framework Agreement on work-related stress offered employers and employees action-oriented recommendations for identifying, preventing and managing the issues of stress at work. Psychosocial risks are an objective in the national strategy on Occupational Health and Safety in 16 member states. Within the UK, policies relating to stress at work include the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999). The HSE developed the Management Standards which are 6 areas of work design that when managed well are linked with increased health and wellbeing, productivity and decreased absence. After the Community strategy on health and safety at work (2007-2012) the UK needed no extra regulations. A number of case studies reviewed in this report show the success of individual and organisational interventions used to tackle stress at work.

Author: European parliament & directorate-general for international policies of the union

Occupational health concerns: Stress-related and psychological problems associated with work (2013)

This review examined the whole area of occupational health and work-related stress in the EU particularly within the UK. However, this summary focuses mainly on policy. A number of processes exist within the EU to address stress at work and associated problems. The 2004 European Framework Agreement on work-related stress offered employers and employees action-oriented recommendations for identifying, preventing and managing the issues of stress at work. Psychosocial risks are an objective in the national strategy on Occupational Health and Safety in 16 member states. Within the UK, policies relating to stress at work include the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (1999). The HSE developed the Management Standards which are 6 areas of work design that when managed well are linked with increased health and wellbeing, productivity and decreased absence. After the Community strategy on health and safety at work (2007-2012) the UK needed no extra regulations. A number of case studies reviewed in this report show the success of individual and organisational interventions used to tackle stress at work.

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