Stress Brief PP Nov 04

8/4/2019 Stress Brief PP Nov 04

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Stress at Work

Tony Briscoe IBEC



Cover

Perception and realityDefinition

EU Agreement under social dialogue

Compensation

Intervention

Policies

Conclusion



Policies

Reference to Safety Statement Full support and not a personal problem

Encourage people to come forward

Means or measures expressed which are to

prevent unnecessary stress

Where it arises inevitably as part of the job

greater investment considered in

support/training/selection/management



Perception or reality

Extent of workplace stress is a moot point EU consider more than 1:5 suffer the experience

OIB figures consider it @ 1.5% of all OIB

claims allowed 160 out of 11,096 in 2003

CSO claim 6,300 cases out of 33,000 ill health -

second highest cause of ill health at work

IBEC survey 7% of companies - stress illness

Methodologies differ and affect results



Statistics suggest

Perception is an issue and significantly so Perception of experience increasing

Illness or injury effect relatively low compared

with other injuries and ill health from work

May have impact on absenteeism

Definition is an issue in terms of what is

considered harmful stress

Major EU concern and political



Defining stress

Pure stress not post traumatic stress which isdifferent

Mismatch between a persons perception of

demands and their ability to cope with those

demands

Stress is not necessarily a negative experience

not an illness - is needed to survive - but prolonged

exposure to excessive stress may cause ill health



EU Agreement

Why an EU AgreementAlternative would be a Directive from the

Commission

Process involved lengthy negotiation at EU

Union of Employers and Workers level

Process over 8 months concluded in May 2004

signed by participants in September 2004

Second only S D Agreement ( Tele-working)



Agreement criteria -Employers

Deal only with Occ. Stress and describes itWays to determine and manage

Not limit it to organisational issues only

Proposes solutions which respect mgmt. Prerog.

Account of individual factors

Responsibility of individuals

Focuses on the generally recognised causes

No new consultation/information responsibily



Main Elements of Agreement

Introduction- not affecting all workplaces Individuals “feeling” unable can include

perception

Stress is not a disease confirmed

External factors can affect stress not just work

Menu not exhaustive list words used “can”-

“may”

Only if a problem identified action is to be taken



Measures examples

Can be collective or individual Part of a stress policy or specific targeted

Management and communication

Training

Information and consultation

All measures determined by employer with

them being carried out with participation and

workers collaboration



Compensation

Authorities to date have set standard Three elements: Psychiatric illness/ Foreseeable/

Work related

Hamilton judgement PTSD five conditions:

Must actually have suffered nervous shock

Must have suffered recognisable psychiatric illness Shock must be caused by the defendants act or

omission



Compensation continued

Must prove causal link i.e illness was shock induced

Must show defendant owed duty of care not to cause

reasonably foreseeable injury in the form of nervous

shock to the plaintiff Both pure stress claims and PTSD claims will not be

dealt with by PIAB except in the context of personal

physical injury be involved and PTSD associated



Intervention

ActiveWork life balance policies

Task design decision latitude

Communications and support

Feedback and cohesive team building

Reactive

Counselling and EAP

Training in coping assertiveness time management

Perception and IR factors to be considered



Conclusion

Whatever it’s not going to go away Most workplaces will have instances

At least reactive/ active response

Develop a policy

Have supports available

Look out for compensation potential

Train managers to address measures observe

and respond



Stress at Work

Tony Briscoe IBEC

Stress Brief PP Nov 04

Documents

Transcript of Stress Brief PP Nov 04