Promoting Workplace Well-Being
David Craigie
Chartered Psychologist
supporting www.businessmattersedinburgh.com
The importance of workplace well-being
Risk factors for stress at work
Developing resilience – what can I do?
Promoting positive management
Overview
In 2009/10, an estimated 9.8 million working days were lost through work-related stress
On average, each person suffering from work-related stress took an estimated 22.6 days off in 2009/10
The importance of early intervention
"The adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them"
Source: www.hse.gov.uk/stress
What does well-being have to do with work?
The Health and Safety Executive identifies 6 areas of risk for stress at work (Management Standards – 2004 research).
Demands including workload, work patterns and the work environment
Control how much say the person has in the way they do their work
Support including the encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by the organisation, line management and colleagues
Risk factors in the workplace:
Relationships including promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with
unacceptable behaviour
Role whether people understand their role within the organisation and whether the organisation ensures that they do not have conflicting roles
Change how organisational change (large or small) is managed and communicated
in the organisation
Risk factors in the workplace (continued):
Be self aware
Listen to those around you
Think holistically
Be pro-active rather than re-active
Don’t neglect physical health
Developing Resilience – what can I do?
Demands Try to plan ahead, delegatewhere possible, be aware of upcoming demands.
Control What aspects can I control?
Support Make use of available support. Ask for it when you need it, give it when you can.
Tackling the risk factors on a personal level
Relationships Invest in (healthy) relationships. Learn assertiveness and
communication techniques.
Role Clarify your role and expectations.
Change Be aware of upcoming changes to prepare yourself. Read up
available information and ask questions.
Tackling the risk factors on a personal level
Conclusions so far…
There is no “silver bullet”!
We are not isolated individuals, but part of a network of people – we can help one another and learn to help ourselves also.
Promoting Positive Management
Managers are in a very important position within organisations
“Gatekeepers” to stress and can help well-being of others
We need to look after our managers too!
New research/directions: focusing more on “well-being” and “resilience”, than on “stress”
Recent research findings
Research supported by HSE, CIPD & Investors in People
Phase A (2007) – development of a management competency framework
Phase B (2008) – evaluate usability, design measurement tool
Phase C – review of interventions
Acknowledgment – Emma Donaldson Fielder, C.Psychol
Management Competencies
4 key categories
Management Style
Leadership, planning, empowering
Awareness of the individual
Situation management
Management Style
Competency details:
Having Integrity Being respectful and responsible
Managing Emotions Behaving consistently and calmly
Considerate Approach Thoughtful in managing others and delegating
Leadership, Planning and Empowering
Competency details:
Pro-active work management Monitoring and reviewing existing work, allowing
future prioritising and planning Problem solving
Deals with problems promptly, rationally and responsibly
Participative/Empowering Consults with team/listens, provides direction,
autonomy and development opportunities
Situational Management
Competency details:
Managing ConflictDealing fairly and promptly
Use of organisational resourcesSeeks advice when necessary (HR etc.)
Taking responsibility for resolving issuesSupportive and responsible approach
Awareness of the Individual within the team
Competency details:
Personally accessible Available
Sociable Relaxed approach, appropriate use of humour
Empathic engagement Seeks to understand individual in terms of
motivation, point of view and life outside of work
more information
www.craigiepartnership.co.uk
Email: [email protected]
Links and other information:
www.craigiepartnership.co.uk/businessmatters.htm