Assessing the risks of work-related stress

As such, stress linked to the workplace has become a major health and safety issue. But despite this higher profile, as many as 80% of firms have failed to identify the likely causes of stress in their workplace, according to a recent poll.

This may be partly due to the nature of stress. After all, the causes of slips and trips in the workplace may seem obvious to most, but the hazards associated with stress may be a little less apparent. However, employers must carry out regular risk assessments for stress, as much as for any other health and safety issue.

To help, we asked Jeremy Stranks, author of the recently published guide 'Stress at Work: Management and Prevention' to explain the basic approach to a work-related stress risk assessment.

He told us that the starting point for many organisations could be the use of "personal stress questionnaires". He added that it was important when such questionnaires were used that employees were briefed on the objectives of the exercise, and that replies were treated as confidential.

"A variety of questionnaires are available which seek responses from individuals on work-related aspects such as job factors, their role and relationships within the organisation, attainment of targets, personal coping and problem-solving strategies and career development," he said.

"A subsequent review of completed questionnaires should help to identify the key areas where there is the potential for stress and where management action is required.

"Factors such as lack of job clarity, lack of control over the pace of work or working alone may be a source of stress for employees. Others may find it difficult to cope with continuing changes in work methods, current management style or the introduction of new work procedures."

Risk assessment checklist

Mr Stranks also provided us with a checklist of what the stress risk assessment process should achieve. This included:

> Identifying the causes of work-related stress and their contributing factors.

> Measuring the extent of these stressors.

> Evaluate the degree of harm that employees could suffer if no action was taken.

> Recommending preventive and protective measures for individuals or groups of individuals.

Following on from this he also provided format for a stress risk assessment document, which he advised should include the following elements:

1. Stress creating factors, such as insufficient skills for the task or excessive workload.

2. A risk evaluation on a scale from 1 to 10.

3. The preventive and protective measures required, such as time management training for certain people, redesign of the task or the setting of more realistic work targets.

4. The timescale for implementing the preventive and protective measures

5. Individual management responsibility for ensuring measures are implemented and monitored.

For example, the stress creating factor may be: "Insufficient challenge resulting in boredom and fatigue", the risk evaluation may be put at: "6 out of 10", and the preventive and protective measures might include: "Redesign the task, rotate with other tasks and seek ideas from employees."

Other possible stress creating factors identified by Jeremy Stranks included - Inadequate training for the task; sexist and/or racist culture and/or sexism/racism in the workplace; frequent changes of deadlines; inability to affect change; excessive/irregular workloads, poor working environment.

Management response

Further management action resulting from such risk factors could include the preparing and issuing of policies on sexism and racism at work, for example. Other actions might include:

> Reviewing current training arrangements, providing a training programme and organising feedback from trainees.

> Management attention to setting realistic work targets and reviewing work progress on a regular basis.

> Improving forward planning arrangements with a view to reducing fluctuations in work loads.

> Reviewing individual responsibilities with respect to decision-making requirements.

> Assessing the potential for redesigning certain repetitive tasks, as well as outsourcing some work.

> Improving the working environment with particular reference to temperature, lighting and ventilation, redecoration and repairs to floors.

Timescales and commencement dates for such actions would depend upon the risk evaluation score and the amount of work needed to implement new procedures.

Jeremy Stranks concluded: "The potential for stress-related ill-health claims in the civil courts, together with duties to protect employees' health under criminal law, are matters which employers can no longer disregard.

"The old 'if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen' approach to employees doesn't work any more!"

Jeremy Stranks is the author of 'Stress at Work: Management and Prevention (2005) published by Elsevier Butterworth Heinemann.