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HSE Standards

HSE Standards

Under UK law, employers have a legal duty of care to ensure their employees are not harmed by work-related stress.They also have a duty to assess the risk arising from hazards at work, including stress.

To help organisations meet these duties, in November 2004, The Health & Safety Executive introduced
The Management Standards & guidelines on work-related stress.

The Management Standards uses a risk assessment approach based on the familiar
‘Five Steps to Risk Assessment’ that is used for other health & safety risks.

These Management Standards & guidelines are not new legislation however they are intended to help employers
meet their existing duties under the Health & Safety at Work Act and the Management of Health & Safety at Work
Regulations by working together with both employees and their representatives.

These Standards & Guidelines are set to be reviewed in 2008 & their status may then change.

The Management Standards follow a risk assessment approach & the HSE have identified six key areas “risk factors” as potential hazards, or major causes
of work-related stress.

These six key areas that have been identified are to help in Step 1 – Identify the Hazards of the risk assessment approach.

The Standards will help you to measure your performance in managing work-related stress.

Each standard provides simple statements about good management practice in
each of the six areas.

HSE does not expect every employer to meet all the Standards at their first
attempt. The Standards are goals that employers should be working towards
through an ongoing process of risk assessment and continuous improvement.

               The six Management Standards for Work-related Stress are:

DEMANDS - Includes issues like workload, work patterns, and the work environment

The standard is that:

          • Employees indicate that they are able to cope with the demands of their jobs; and

          • Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns.

What should be happening / states to be achieved:

          • The organization provides employees with adequate and achievable demands in relation to the
          agreed hours of work;

          • People’s skills and abilities are matched to the job demands;

          • Jobs are designed to be within the capabilities of employees; and

          • Employees’ concerns about their work environment are addressed.

CONTROL - How much say the person has in the way they do their work

The standard is that:

          • Employees indicate that they are able to have a say about the way they do their work; and

          • Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns.

What should be happening / states to be achieved:

          • Where possible, employees have control over their pace of work;

          • Employees are encouraged to use their skills and initiative to do their work;

          • Where possible, employees are encouraged to develop new skills to help them undertake new
          and challenging pieces of work;

          • The organization encourages employees to develop their skills;

          • Employees have a say over when breaks can be taken; and

          • Employees are consulted over their work patterns.

SUPPORT - Includes the encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by the organization, line management and colleagues

The standard is that:

          • Employees indicate that they receive adequate information and support from their colleagues and
          superiors; and

          • Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns.

What should be happening / states to be achieved:

          • The organization has policies and procedures to adequately support employees;

          • Systems are in place to enable and encourage managers to support their staff;

          • Systems are in place to enable and encourage employees to support their colleagues;

          • Employees know what support is available and how and when to access it;

          • Employees know how to access the required resources to do their job; and

          • Employees receive regular and constructive feedback.

RELATIONSHIPS - Includes promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with
                             unacceptable behaviour

The standard is that:

          • Employees indicate that they are not subjected to unacceptable behaviours, e.g. bullying at work; and

          • Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns.

What should be happening / states to be achieved:

          • The organization promotes positive behaviours at work to avoid conflict and ensure fairness;

          • Employees share information relevant to their work;

          • The organization has agreed policies and procedures to prevent or resolve unacceptable behaviour;

          • Systems are in place to enable and encourage managers to deal with unacceptable behaviour; and

          • Systems are in place to enable and encourage employees to report unacceptable behaviour.

ROLE - Whether people understand their role within the organization and whether the organization
          ensures that the person does not have conflicting roles

The standard is that:

          • Employees indicate that they understand their role and responsibilities; and

          • Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns.

What should be happening / states to be achieved:

          • The organization ensures that, as far as possible, the different requirements it places upon
            employees are compatible;

          • The organization provides information to enable employees to understand their role and responsibilities;

          • The organization ensures that, as far as possible, the requirements it places upon employees are clear; and

          • Systems are in place to enable employees to raise concerns about any uncertainties or conflicts they
          have in their role and responsibilities.

CHANGE - How organizational change (large or small) is managed and communicated in the organization

The standard is that:

          • Employees indicate that the organization engages them frequently when undergoing an organisational
          change; and

          • Systems are in place locally to respond to any individual concerns.

What should be happening / states to be achieved:

          • The organization provides employees with timely information to enable them to understand the reasons
          for proposed changes;

          • The organization ensures adequate employee consultation on changes and provides opportunities for
          employees to influence proposals;

          • Employees are aware of the probable impact of any changes to their jobs. If necessary, employees are
          given training to support any changes in their jobs;
          • Employees are aware of timetables for changes;

          • Employees have access to relevant support during changes.

Solutions 4 Stress can help HR & Managers to insure their staff training fulfils the HSE guidelines for preventing, recognising, reducing
& then managing work-related stress.

Please CONTACT US for further details or call 07511 271777 to discuss your requirements.

For further information on the HSE guidelines on stress and the Management Standards click the links: www.hse.gov.uk/stress or www.hse.gov.uk/stress/standards/index.htm

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