Examples of good practice

The specialists’ union Prospect reports that it has worked with a number of employers to tackle stress and improve health and well being at work.

For example, at Northern PowerGrid, Prospect sourced a line manager self-checklist to help line managers to identify gaps in their stress management skills and knowledge, and request continuing professional development or coaching to help move the organisation towards best practice in managing stress risks at work. For more information about the checklist see ten best tools at: www.prospect.org.uk/advice_and_services/health_and_safety/stress/?_ts=1

And at the Ministry of Defence, Prospect’s safety rep training involved the MoD head of health and safety and subsequently helped to develop a stress leaflet for all staff.

In addition, the union reports that it is working with several employers following its March 2013 Stress, stigma and solutions seminar. This combined the union’s in-house knowledge of stress management and mental health discrimination with external expertise from the mental health charity Mind and a business psychology consultancy, Work-Life Solutions.

The union invited 40 Prospect safety reps from all sectors and 20 health and safety practitioners (including from GSK and Acas) and offered them a range of practical management and union tools. The latter included a body mapping activity.

http://library.prospect.org.uk/id/2011/00340

It reports that many employers have adopted bodymapping to raise awareness and measure stress at work. Two large employers asked the union to deliver the workshop at their workplace and the first event addressed around 150 managers in order to revitalise efforts to tackle stress.

The events are promoted and organised by Prospect, with funding for Work-Life Solutions from the employer. Prospect and Mind donate their time and resources.

Prospect health and safety officer Sarah Page told LRD that “the combination of an HSE stress management approach with efforts to de-stigmatise mental ill health and grounded in solutions” was proving very popular and the union is developing similar collaborations.

Meanwhile, the Community union has joined forces with Tata Steel (and stress experts) to develop:

• e-learning modules for all employees aimed at raising awareness of mental health and well-being, including work-related stress;

• face-to-face training packages for managers and practitioners on managing and supporting people with mental health problems in the workplace; and

• a line managers’ resource, a practical guide to managing and supporting people with mental health problems in the workplace.

The e-learning resources are “based on information and resources from HSE as well as the best that other institutions have to offer, blended with in-house expertise.”

The face-to-face training includes:

• advice on monitoring the well-being of staff and on early steps that can be taken when an employee experiences mental health problems;

• managing contact in a sensitive but constructive way;

• effective planning and monitoring of the return to work;

• working with an employee and supporting them in meeting the demands of his or her job; and

• reporting and recording.