Best Practice in Interventions for the Management of

Psychosocial Risks

Dr Maarit Vartia, FIOHDr Stavroula Leka, I-WHO

Aim

The aim of the study was to conduct a review and analysis of case studies of evidence-based, best practice interventions for

- work-related stress - workplace violence, bullying (mobbing) and harassment at work

© PRIMA-ef Consortium

Methods

• Literature review of case studies of psychosocial risk managent interventions for work-related stress, workplace violence, bullying and harassment in different occupational sectors, worker groups, enterprise sizes and EU countries was conducted

• Using the PRIMA-EF framework, best practice criteria for the evaluation of interventions were formulated and outlined, and on the basis of these criteria a best practice inventory was developed

• Complementary information was collected through semi-structured interviews with experts who have developed, implemented, and evaluated interventions

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• The basis in the management of workplace violence is zero tolerance; violence, bullying and harassment in all their physical and psychological forms both from outside and inside the workplace should be condemned

• Workplace violence and bullying should be seen as work environment problems. Prevention and management should concentrate on reducing the risks of violence and bullying in the physical and psychosocial work environment. To identify the risks in a specific workplace a proper risk assessment and situation analysis should be conducted

• Planning of interventions should be based on research based knowledge on the causes and escalating nature of violence and bullying at work, and on scientific theory

Key aspects of interventions for the prevention of workplace violence and bullying

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Best Practice Guidance for Bullying at Work

• Awareness and recognition as well as knowledge and know how of bullying at work differ a lot between EU countries and between organizations nationally. Awareness and recognition should be promoted. Managers' and workers' competencies and skills of organizations to combat workplace bullying should be developed by training

• Organizations should carry out preventative actions against bullying. Cases of bullying should be handled in the workplaces. Policies and codes of conduct including clear and operable procedures to prevent and deal with bullying should be build in organizations to support the management of bullying. Special attention should be paid to the organization of work, atmosphere in the workplace, organizational culture and leadership practices

• Management interventions should be conducted. Managers should be given training on conflict management, and responsible and legally sound management of bullying cases

Best Practice Guidance for Third Party Violence at Work

• All workplaces with a high risk for violence of third parties should have codes of conduct, guidelines and crisis plans for the prevention and management of violent incidents

• All workers should be given training to help them handle and deal with violent incidents. Also fear of violence should be addressed

• Systematic registration and analysis of violent incidents form a basis for the prevention of violent incidents. Also psychological violence by third parties should be included

• Customers and clients also need to be trained not to behave in a threatening and violent way

---------------------------------------------------------------------• Bullying and violence at work arouse shame and quilt.

Handling of violence and bullying requires a non-blaming atmospere in the workplace

Success Factors for Interventions for Work-related Stress

Intervention Content:

• Aspects and elements of design of intervention:

- Theory-based intervention and evidence-based practice

- Conducting a proper risk assessment- Tailored-focus/ adaptable approach- Systematic and stepwise approach- Accessible to all key stakeholders and user-

friendly format- Comprehensive stress management

approach- Competency building skills development

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Success Factors for Interventions for Work-related Stress

Intervention Design:

• Evaluation of intervention: - Strong study design with control- Planned systematic evaluation as part of intervention design

- Intervention evaluation should be linked to intervention aims, goals, and identified problems

- Use of a variety of outcomes measures and evaluative approaches (including process evaluation)

- Short-term and long-term follow-up up over several time points

- Comparative analysis across groups and sub-groups within intervention

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Success Factors for Interventions for Work-related Stress

Intervention Context:

• Implementation success factors:

- Top-down and bottom-up approach- Facilitate dialogue and communication

among key stakeholders- Raising awareness on psychosocial issues

and their management within organisation- Accessibility and usability of tools, methods

and procedures across all members of the organisation

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Special Issues

• Social dialogue: key issue underpinning success

• CSR: PRIMA often not linked to responsible business practices

• Gender and diversity issues: Not addressed in interventions

• SMEs: need to adapt tools and methods

Key Priorities for Action

Developing Capacity Building Programmes to support continuous improvement cycle

Evaluating and researching process issues and mechanisms that underpin Interventions

Developing the knowledge base on preventative approaches for work-related stress

Research into practice

Developing a framework on guidance and standards for work-related management and prevention and in their evaluation

Movement towards increased multidisciplinary research and practice

Awareness raising on psychosocial issues in workplace and work-related stress at the level of the employee and the organisation

Building the business case for psychosocial risk management

More research examining and evaluating comprehensive management interventions

More high quality intervention research and evaluation examining long term effects

Developing and maintaining social dialogue among stakeholders

Increased research and evaluation for organisational level intervention with a complex system

© PRIMA-ef Consortium

Thank you!

Maarit VartiaMaarit.Vartia@ttl.fi

Stavroula Leka Stavroula.Leka@nottingham.ac.uk

www.prima-ef.org