STAFF WELL BEING

All of us are committed to promoting a healthy and supportive working environment. Staff are the most important asset/resource that we have and their well being is essential to effective work performance and the provision of high quality services.

Whilst we acknowledge that we have no control over external or personal factors, we need to be committed, where possible, to manage risks which are within our control. We also need to be committed to develop procedures, staff development measures and support systems to help all staff understand and recognise the nature and causes of stress and to take positive steps to manage stress effectively, including encouraging staff to achieve a good work-life balance in order to enhance their well-being.

In This Section:

"Seven Steps for Managing Stress" by Angela Cassidy . . . . . . . NEW!

WHY BOTHER? 

HOW DO WE DEFINE WELL BEING?

 AND THE OPPOSITE – STRESS?

SUPPORT

WELLBEING NEWSLETTERS

WELLBEING ARTICLES

WHY BOTHER?

Under the terms of The Health & Safety at Work act 1974 management teams have a general duty of care to ensure the health and safety of its staff as far as is reasonably practicable.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require staff to assess the degree of stress in the work place, apply the principles of risk reduction and control and to ensure staff are trained and instructed for their job and in recognising and managing stress.

Responsibility for the effective management of stress rests at all levels of the organisation:

(i) The leadership team are responsible for monitoring the implementation of, and compliance with this policy and for managing the risks to health by assessing the risks of psychosocial hazards in the workplace
(ii) It is the responsibility of all individual staff to seek assistance as early as possible if she or he is manifesting symptoms of stress.

HOW DO WE DEFINE WELL BEING?

When we rise to the challenges in our lives, perform well, feel exhilarated and good about ourselves and our relationships with others are relaxed and positive.

AND THE OPPOSITE – STRESS?

While stress is a natural and normal psychological and physiological reaction to challenge and change negative effects of stress can arise when there are too many demands, and we put too much pressure on ourselves or our coping strategies don’t seem good enough
It may be defined as the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or other types of demand placed on them. What triggers stress and the capacity to deal with stress varies from person to person. Individuals react in different ways to similar situations. Work related stress occurs where people perceive they cannot cope with what is being asked of them at work. No one is immune to work related stress.
Stress is not an illness but, if experienced for a prolonged period, can result in psychological illness such as anxiety, depression or physical symptoms such as headaches and, if particularly severe, it is thought to be able to contribute to physical illnesses such as high blood pressure or heart disease and susceptibility to frequent minor illness. Developing coping strategies such as taking exercise and finding ways of relaxing can help combat the effects of stress. Regrettably people experiencing stress often adopt negative coping strategies such as drinking too much alcohol and caffeine, skipping meals and smoking, all of which can compound the problem.
At an organisational level stress can result in deterioration of morale, performance and staff turnover. Sickness absence due to stress can cause a domino effect where increased workload due to sickness absence of a colleague can in turn lead to increased workload pressures and stress in other members of the team.

SUPPORT

All county councils have a confidential counselling service for employees of which there should be details in your place of work.

Teacher Support Network – www.teachersupport.info
They have confidential helplines, online coaching and tips for managing stress in the workplace – well worth a look!

National Well Being Programme – this is recommended by the Teacher Support Network and involves a confidential online survey for ALL staff which generates a report form which you can devise an action plan. Costs vary according to number of staff. You can get more information from:
www.worklifesupport.com

Examples of ways of improving staff well being

Do you have any tips you could send us?

There are links here to a series of well being newsletters that are produced 12 weekly by HOE in Northamptonshire. Please feel free to download and tweak to use.