Step 4 - Taking Action.

Once organisations have decided on a process it needs to be put into practice. How this is done will depend on the organisation - it’s size and it’s culture - but it will involve the following steps in some way.

1. Communicating

Staff need to be aware why stress is being tackled and why they should take part in any initiatives. This may be done as part of training but other methods can also be used E.g. Posters, leaflets e mail, meetings.

ApP writes tailor-made information booklets, leaflets, staff briefings etc

2. Finding out causes of stress

Causes of stress can be determined qualitatively using a survey. This may be a staff satisfaction survey or a purposely designed stress survey or indeed both.

For small organisations and departments, instead of, or to supplement an audit, small focus groups may be held, Outcomes can then be fed back to senior management verbally or as a report.

ApP conducts stress surveys, facilitates stress focus groups and writes reports.

As an economical alternative, focus groups can also be run as part of manager and employee stress training.

3. Communication again!

Once problems are identified through surveys and focus groups, managers need to convey the results to their employees. This may be through written communication or via team meetings.

ApP writes reports for communication to staff.

4. Find solutions

Employees and managers then need to work together to find ways for improvement. This may again be through the use of focus groups. Focus groups may be representative of large departments and organisations or may comprise a team discussion. The important thing is to decide on action and ensure these are carried out. An action plan will help here.

Actions may involve:

• Change in working practices or conditions.
• Improving management approach – management training or coaching in basic management skills. Click HERE to see the Core Skills programme.
• Providing, counselling, 1:1 coaching or EAP if available.
• Training all levels of the organisation in handling personal stress.

ApP helps write organisational and departmental specific action plans

5. Review

Once stress management initiatives have been introduced, it is important to review their effectiveness. This can be done by looking at ongoing data such as staff absence and productivity figures. It is also a good idea to repeat assessments annually. However for action plans it is important that ongoing progress is monitored by discussions with staff. ApP can help facilitate such discussions and assist in data analysis.

The above steps are basically the steps in the HSE risk assessment process click HERE for more information.

NEW!!! The Working Well Programme for managers

Research shows that management style and behaviour can add to or reduce stress in an organisation. ApP has therefore developed a modular management development programme “Working well”

Working well explores the basics of effective management in 5 separate modules based on the HSE stress management risk factors.

• Control
• Change
• Demands
• Relationships
• Role

Module 1 Control – Understanding stress and how lack of control can lead to poor performance, stress and ill health. How to enable more control at work motivate staff to give their best.

Module 2 Roles and Responsibility – importance of well-defined roles and understanding responsibility. Performance management techniques and effective appraisals. 1:1 practice and role play.

Module 3 Dealing with demands –how managers can help themselves and their staff cope more effectively with the everyday demands of the job.

Module 4 Change – coping with personal change, effectively introducing change in the work place and helping staff cope with change.

Module 5 Relationships and support – how managers can have more effective relationships with their staff and be more in touch with everyday issues. How to be more supportive in a limited time frame. Effective 1:1 discussions and role play.

This programme provides a good action point following a risk assessment where management skills are identified as poor. The concept of compulsory “stress management” can be used as a tactful way of providing training for existing managers in need of improving their softer skills.

The programme is also an ideal management induction course for new managers.

The above are also available as individual one-day courses.