PROTECTING WORKERS'

HEALTH SERIES N
O
3
WORK
ORGANISATION
& STRESS
SYSTEMATIC PROBLEM APPROACHES FOR EMPLOYERS,
MANAGERS AND TRADE UNION REPRESENTATIVES
Protoctlng Workors` Hoolth Sorlos No. 3
AuIhors: SIavroula Leka BA MSc PhD
Professor Amanda GrlfflIhs CPschol AFBPsS FRSH
Professor Tom Cox CBE
INSTITUTE OF WORK, HEALTH & ORGANISATIONS
Unlvorslt, ol Nottlnghom
Nottlnghom Sclonco ond Tochnolog, Pork
Unlvorslt, Boulovord
Wllllom Loo Bulldlngs 8
Nottlnghom NG7 2RQ
Unltod Klngdom
WHO Llbror, Cotologulng-ln-Publlcotlon Doto
Loko, Stovroulo.
Work orgonlsotlon ond stross : s,stomotlc problom opproochos lor omplo,ors, monogors
ond trodo unlon roprosontotlvos / Stovroulo Loko, Amondo Grllllths, Tom Cox.
(Protoctlng workors` hoolth sorlos ; no. 3)
1. Stross, Ps,chologlcol - provontlon ond control 2. Occupotlonol Hoolth 3.Occupotlonol
dlsoosos - provontlon ond control 4. Rlsk ossossmont. 5.Work - ps,cholog, l.Grllllths,
Amondo ll.Cox, Tom lll.Tltlo lV.Sorlos
lSBN 2 4 15047 5 (NLM closslllcotlon: WA 440)
World HealIh OrganlzaIlon 23
All rlghts rosorvod. Publlcotlons ol tho World Hoolth Orgonlzotlon con bo obtolnod lrom
Morkotlng ond Dlssomlnotlon, World Hoolth Orgonlzotlon, 20 Avonuo Applo, 1211 Gonovo
27, Swltzorlond (tol: +41 22 71 2476; lox: +41 22 71 4857; omoll: bookordors_who.lnt).
Roquosts lor pormlsslon to roproduco or tronsloto WHO publlcotlons - whothor lor solo or
lor noncommorclol dlstrlbutlon - should bo oddrossod to Publlcotlons, ot tho obovo od-
dross (lox: +41 22 71 4806; omoll: pormlsslons_who.lnt).
Tho doslgnotlons omplo,od ond tho prosontotlon ol tho motorlol ln thls publlcotlon do not
lmpl, tho oxprosslon ol on, oplnlon whotsoovor on tho port ol tho World Hoolth Orgonlzo-
tlon concornlng tho logol stotus ol on, countr,, torrltor,, clt, or oroo or ol lts outhorltlos, or
concornlng tho dollmltotlon ol lts lrontlors or boundorlos. Dottod llnos on mops roprosont
opproxlmoto bordor llnos lor whlch thoro mo, not ,ot bo lull ogroomont.
Tho montlon ol spoclllc componlos or ol cortoln monulocturors` products doos not lmpl,
thot tho, oro ondorsod or rocommondod b, tho World Hoolth Orgonlzotlon ln proloronco
to othors ol o slmllor noturo thot oro not montlonod. Errors ond omlsslons oxcoptod, tho
nomos ol proprlotor, products oro dlstlngulshod b, lnltlol copltol lottors.
Tho World Hoolth Orgonlzotlon doos not worront thot tho lnlormotlon contolnod ln thls
publlcotlon ls comploto ond corroct ond sholl not bo lloblo lor on, domogos lncurrod os o
rosult ol lts uso.
Prlntod ln Swltzorlond
Otler booklets jrom tle Protectng Workers' Heultl 5eres.
N
o
. 1: Provontlng Hoolth Rlsks lrom tho Uso ol Postlcldos ln Agrlculturo
N
o
. 2: Undorstondlng ond Porlormlng Economlc Assossmonts ot tho Compon,
Lovol
N
0
. 4: Ps,chologlcol Horossmont ot Work
Proloco
T
hls documont ls tho thlrd ln o sorlos ol occupotlonol hoolth documonts
ontltlod: Protectng Workers' Heultl. Tho World Hoolth Orgonlzotlon
(WHO) wlthln tho Progrommo ol Occupotlonol Hoolth publlshos lt.
lt ls tho rosult ol tho lmplomontotlon ollort ol tho Globol Strotog, on
Occupotlonol Hoolth lor All os ogrood upon ot tho Fourth Notwork Mootlng
ol tho WHO Colloborotlng Contros ln Occupotlonol Hoolth whlch wos hold
ln Espoo, Flnlond lrom 7- Juno 1.
Tho toxt wos proporod b, tho lnstltuto ol Work, Hoolth & Orgonlsotlons,
Unlvorslt, ol Nottlnghom, o WHO Colloborotlng Contro ln Occupotlonol
Hoolth, ond tho Europoon Agonc,`s Toplc Contro on Stross ot Work. Tho
documont wos sponsorod ln port b, tho WHO Roglonol Olllco lor Europo.
Work stross ls thought to olloct lndlvlduols` ps,chologlcol ond ph,slcol
hoolth, os woll os orgonlsotlons` olloctlvonoss, ln on odvorso monnor. Thls
booklot provldos proctlcol odvlco on how to dool wlth work stross. lt ls
lntondod thot omplo,ors, monogors ond trodo unlon roprosontotlvos uso
thls booklot os port ol on lnltlotlvo to oducoto on tho monogomont ol work
stross. Dlscussod oro tho noturo ol stross ot work, tho cousos ond ollocts ol
stross, os woll os provontlon strotoglos ond rlsk ossossmont ond monogomont
mothods. Also dlscussod oro tho rolo ol tho orgonlsotlonol culturo ln thls
procoss ond tho rosourcos to bo drown upon lor monoglng work stross.
Tho odvlco should bo lntorprotod ln tho llght ol tho portlculor probloms
locod b, dllloront groups ol workors ond whot ls roosonobl, proctlcoblo b,
wo, ol solutlons lor ooch lndlvlduol omplo,or. Llsts ol common cousos
ond ollocts ol stross oro lncludod lor lllustrotlvo purposos. Roloroncos ond
suggostlons lor lurthor roodlng oro llstod ln Choptor 12.
WHO ollors spoclol ocknowlodgomont to tho outhors ol tho documont ond
to tho oxports ol tho rovlowors whom provldod osslstonco ln llnollslng tho
brochuro. Thoso oro llstod bolow:
Rob Brlnor, London Unlvorslt,, Blrkbock Collogo, Unltod Klngdom;
Somosok Chunhoros, Hoolth S,stom Rosoorch lnstltuto, Thollond;
Aloxondro Flolschmonn, Doportmont ol Montol Hoolth ond Substonco
Dopondonco, WHO, Gonovo, Swltzorlond; Evol,n Kortum-Morgot,
Occupotlonol Hoolth Progrommo, WHO, Gonovo, Swltzorlond; Stovon L.
Soutor, NlOSH, USA; Louronco Wosom, lnstltuto ol Occupotlonol Hoolth
Scloncos, Lousonno, Swltzorlond.
Contonts
1. lntroductlon 1
2. Whot ls work stross 3
3. Whot cousos work stross 5
4. Tho ollocts ol stross 8
4.1 Tho ollocts ol stross on lndlvlduols 8
4.2 Tho ollocts ol stross on orgonlsotlons
5. Rlsk ossossmont ond monogomont: 10
whot ,ou con do obout lt
5.1 Assosslng rlsks ot work 10
5.2 Essontlol stops ln rlsk monogomont 12
6. Tho provontlon ol work stross 15
7. Solvlng work stross probloms 18
8. Corlng lor troublod omplo,oos 21
. Ol orgonlsotlonol culturo 23
10. Rosourcos lor monoglng work stross 24
11. Concludlng romorks 25
12. Roloroncos ond lurthor roodlng 26

W
ork stross ls rocognlsod world-wldo os o mojor chollongo to
workors` hoolth ond tho hoolthlnoss ol tholr orgonlsotlons (soo
lor oxomplo, lLO 186; 12).
Workors who oro strossod oro olso moro llkol, to bo unhoolth,, poorl,
motlvotod, loss productlvo ond loss solo ot work. Tholr orgonlsotlons oro
loss llkol, to bo succosslul ln o compotltlvo morkot.
Stross con bo brought obout b, prossuros ot homo ond ot work. Emplo,ors
connot usuoll, protoct workors lrom stross orlslng outsldo ol work, but tho,
con protoct thom lrom stross
thot orlsos through work.
Stross ot work con bo o rool
problom to tho orgonlsotlon os
woll os lor lts workors. Good
monogomont ond good work
orgonlsotlon oro tho bost lorms
ol stross provontlon. ll
omplo,oos oro olrood, strossod,
tholr monogors should bo oworo
ol lt ond know how to holp.
Thls booklot ls concornod
lorgol, wlth tho ovor, do, stross
1
lntroductlon

ol work ond not spoclllcoll, wlth tho stross cousod b, suddon, troumotlc
ovonts nor wlth tho monogomont ol post-troumotlc stross dlsordor. Tho
booklot wlll toll ,ou obout:
whot work stross ls (ond ls not)
tho rlsk monogomont opprooch to work stross
how to ossoss work lor stross-rolotod rlsks to hoolth
how to provont or roduco work stross
how to provldo support lor thoso pooplo who oro sullorlng lrom stross
orgonlsotlonol pollclos ond culturo roqulrod to promoto thoso octlons
Tho gools ol best pructce objoctlvos wlth rogord to stross monogomont oro
to provont stross hopponlng or, whoro omplo,oos oro olrood, oxporlonclng
stross, to provont lt lrom couslng sorlous domogo to tholr hoolth or to tho
hoolthlnoss ol tholr orgonlsotlon.
ln mon, countrlos, loglslotlon obllgos omplo,ors to toko coro ol tho hoolth
ond solot, ol tholr workors. Thls dut, ls normoll, lntorprotod to lncludo tho
monogomont ol stross-rolotod hozords, work stross ond montol os woll os
ph,slcol hoolth outcomos. Emplo,ors would bo woll odvlsod to lomlllorlso
thomsolvos wlth tho rolovont low ln tholr countr,.
!
2
Whot ls work stross
W
ork-rolotod stross ls tho rosponso pooplo mo, hovo whon
prosontod wlth work domonds ond prossuros thot oro not
motchod to tholr knowlodgo ond obllltlos ond whlch chollongo
tholr oblllt, to copo.
Stross occurs ln o wldo
rongo ol work
clrcumstoncos but ls
olton modo worso whon
omplo,oos lool tho,
hovo llttlo support lrom
suporvlsors ond
collooguos ond whoro
tho, hovo llttlo control
ovor work or how tho,
con copo wlth lts
domonds ond prossuros.
Thoro ls olton conluslon botwoon pressure or clullenge ond stress ond
somotlmos lt ls usod to oxcuso bod monogomont proctlco.
Pressure ot tho workploco ls unovoldoblo duo to tho domonds ol tho
contomporor, work onvlronmont. Prossuro porcolvod os occoptoblo b,
on lndlvlduol, mo, ovon koop workors olort, motlvotod, oblo to work
"
ond loorn, dopondlng on tho ovolloblo rosourcos ond porsonol
choroctorlstlcs. Howovor, whon thot prossuro bocomos oxcosslvo or
othorwlso unmonogooblo lt loods to stross. Stross con domogo ,our
workors` hoolth ond ,our buslnoss porlormonco.
Stross rosults lrom o mlsmotch botwoon tho domonds ond prossuros on
tho porson, on tho ono hond, ond tholr knowlodgo ond obllltlos, on tho
othor. lt chollongos tholr oblllt, to copo wlth work. Thls lncludos not onl,
sltuotlons whoro tho prossuros ol work oxcood tho workor`s oblllt, to copo
but olso whoro tho workor`s knowlodgo ond obllltlos oro not sulllclontl,
utlllsod ond thot ls o problom lor thom.
A hoolth, job ls llkol, to bo ono whoro tho prossuros on omplo,oos oro
opproprloto ln rolotlon to tholr obllltlos ond rosourcos, to tho omount ol
control tho, hovo ovor tholr work, ond to tho support tho, rocolvo lrom
pooplo who mottor to thom. As hoolth ls not morol, tho obsonco ol dlsooso
or lnllrmlt, but o posltlvo stoto ol comploto ph,slcol, montol ond soclol
woll-bolng (WHO, 186), o hoolth, worklng onvlronmont ls ono ln whlch
thoro ls not onl, on obsonco ol hormlul condltlons but on obundonco ol
hoolth promotlng onos.
Thoso mo, lncludo contlnuous ossossmont ol rlsks to hoolth, tho
provlslon ol opproprloto lnlormotlon ond trolnlng on hoolth lssuos ond
tho ovolloblllt, ol hoolth promotlng orgonlsotlonol support proctlcos
ond structuros. A hoolth, work onvlronmont ls ono ln whlch stoll hovo
modo hoolth ond hoolth promotlon o prlorlt, ond port ol tholr worklng
llvos.
#
P
oor work orgonlsotlon, thot ls tho wo, wo doslgn jobs ond work
s,stoms, ond tho wo, wo monogo thom, con couso work stross.
Excosslvo ond othorwlso unmonogooblo domonds ond prossuros con bo
cousod b, poor work doslgn, poor monogomont ond unsotlsloctor, worklng
condltlons. Slmllorl,, thoso thlngs con rosult ln workors not rocolvlng
sulllclont support lrom othors or not hovlng onough control ovor tholr work
ond lts prossuros.
Reseurcl jnJngs slou tlut tle most stressjul tpe oj uork s tlut ulcl
oulues excessoe JemunJs unJ pressures tlut ure not mutcleJ to uorkers'
knouleJge unJ ubltes, ulere tlere s lttle opportunt to exercse un
cloce or control, unJ ulere tlere s lttle support jrom otlers.
Tle more tle JemunJs unJ pressures oj uork ure mutcleJ to tle knouleJge
unJ ubltes oj uorkers, tle less lkel tle ure to experence uork stress.
Tho moro support workors rocolvo lrom othors ot work, or ln rolotlon to
work, tho loss llkol, tho, oro to oxporlonco work stross.
Tho moro control workors hovo ovor tholr work ond tho wo, tho, do lt ond
tho moro tho, portlclpoto ln doclslons thot concorn tholr jobs, tho loss llkol,
tho, oro to oxporlonco work stross.
Most ol tho cousos ol work stross concorn tho wo, work ls doslgnod ond tho
wo, ln whlch orgonlsotlons oro monogod. Bocouso thoso ospocts ol work
3
Whot cousos work
stross
$
hovo tho potontlol lor couslng
horm, tho, oro collod `stross-
rolotod hozords`. Tho
lltoroturo on stross gonoroll,
rocognlsos nlno cotogorlos ol
stross-rolotod hozords ond
thoso oro llstod ln Toblo l.
Ono should koop ln mlnd,
though, thot somo ol thoso
hozords mo, not bo unlvorsol
or mo, not bo consldorod
hormlul ln spoclllc culturos.
Table I: SIress-relaIed Hazards
Work ConIenI:
Job Contont
Monotonous, undor-stlmulotlng, moonlngloss tosks
Lock ol vorlot,
Unploosont tosks
Avorslvo tosks
Worklood ond Work poco
Hovlng too much or too llttlo to do
Worklng undor tlmo prossuros
Worklng Hours
Strlct ond lnlloxlblo worklng schodulos
Long ond unsoclol hours
Unprodlctoblo worklng hours
Bodl, doslgnod shllt s,stoms
Portlclpotlon ond Control
Lock ol portlclpotlon ln doclslon moklng
Lock ol control (lor oxomplo, ovor work mothods,
work poco, worklng hours ond tho work
onvlronmont)
%
Work ConIexI:
Coroor Dovolopmont, Stotus ond Po,
Job lnsocurlt,
Lock ol promotlon prospocts
Undor-promotlon or ovor-promotlon
Work ol `low soclol voluo`
Ploco roto po,monts schomos
Uncloor or unlolr porlormonco ovoluotlon s,stoms
Bolng ovor-sklllod or undor-sklllod lor tho job
Rolo ln tho Orgonlsotlon
Uncloor rolo
Conlllctlng rolos wlthln tho somo job
Rosponslblllt, lor pooplo
Contlnuousl, doollng wlth othor pooplo ond tholr
probloms
lntorporsonol Rolotlonshlps
lnodoquoto, lnconsldoroto or unsupportlvo
suporvlslon
Poor rolotlonshlps wlth co-workors
Bull,lng, horossmont ond vlolonco
lsolotod or solltor, work
No ogrood procoduros lor doollng wlth probloms
or complolnts
Orgonlsotlonol Culturo
Poor communlcotlon
Poor loodorshlp
Lock ol clorlt, obout orgonlsotlonol objoctlvos ond
structuro
Homo-Work lntorloco
Conlllctlng domonds ol work ond homo
Lock ol support lor domostlc probloms ot work
Lock ol support lor work probloms ot homo
&
4.1 The effecIs of work
sIress on lndlvlduals
S
tross ollocts dllloront
pooplo ln dllloront wo,s.
Tho oxporlonco ol work stross con
couso unusuol ond d,slunctlonol
bohovlour ot work ond contrlbuto
to poor ph,slcol ond montol
hoolth. ln oxtromo cosos, long-torm
stross or troumotlc ovonts ot work
mo, lood to ps,chologlcol
probloms ond bo conductlvo to
ps,chlotrlc dlsordors rosultlng ln
obsonco lrom work ond provontlng
tho workor lrom bolng oblo to
work ogoln.
Whon undor stross, pooplo llnd lt
dllllcult to molntoln o hoolth,
bolonco botwoon work ond non-
work lllo. At tho somo tlmo, tho,
mo, ongogo ln unhoolth,
4
Tho ollocts ol work
stross
When affecIed b work sIress
people ma:
bocomo lncrooslngl, dlstrossod
ond lrrltoblo
bocomo unoblo to rolox or
concontroto
hovo dllllcult, thlnklng loglcoll,
ond moklng doclslons
onjo, tholr work loss ond lool loss
commlttod to lt
lool tlrod, doprossod, onxlous
hovo dllllcult, slooplng
oxporlonco sorlous ph,slcol
probloms, such os:
- hoort dlsooso,
- dlsordors ol tho dlgostlvo s,stom,
- lncroosos ln blood prossuro,
hoodochos,
- musculo-skolotol dlsordors (such
os low bock poln ond uppor llmb
dlsordors)
'
octlvltlos, such os smoklng drlnklng ond
obuslng drugs.
Stross mo, olso olloct tho lmmuno
s,stom, lmpolrlng pooplo`s oblllt, to
llght lnloctlons.
Work sIress ls IhoughI Io affecI
organlsaIlons b:
lncrooslng obsontoolsm
docrooslng commltmont to work
lncrooslng stoll turn-ovor
lmpolrlng porlormonco ond
productlvlt,
lncrooslng unsolo worklng proctlcos
ond occldont rotos
lncrooslng complolnts lrom cllonts
ond customors
odvorsol, olloctlng stoll rocrultmont
lncrooslng lloblllt, to logol clolms ond
octlons b, strossod workors
domoglng tho orgonlsotlon`s lmogo
both omong lts workors ond
oxtornoll,
4.2 The effecIs of work
sIress on organlsaIlons
l
l ko, stoll or o lorgo numbor
ol workors oro olloctod,
work stross mo, chollongo
tho hoolthlnoss ond
porlormonco ol tholr
orgonlsotlon.
Unhoolth, orgonlsotlons do not
got tho bost lrom tholr workors
ond thls mo, olloct not onl, tholr
porlormonco ln tho lncrooslngl,
compotltlvo morkot but
ovontuoll, ovon tholr survlvol.

5.1 Assesslng rlsks aI work

T
ho oxporlonco ol work stross ls o chollongo to tho hoolth ond solot,
ol workors ond to tho hoolthlnoss ol tholr orgonlsotlons. Emplo,ors
should hovo o pollc, lor tho monogomont ol workor hoolth thot
mokos roloronco to work stross. Tho, should onoblo thot pollc, to bo
lmplomontod b, puttlng tho opproprloto orrongomonts ln ploco. Such
orrongomonts should oddross tho lssuos ol rlsk ossossmont, tlmol, rooctlon
ond rohobllltotlon. Orgonlsotlonol lovol strotoglos lor monoglng oxlstlng
work stross locus on combotlng tho rlsks ot sourco.
Work stross con bo olloctlvol, monogod b, oppl,lng o rlsk monogomont
opprooch os ls succosslull, dono wlth othor mojor hoolth ond solot,
probloms. A rlsk monogomont opprooch ossossos tho posslblo rlsks ln
tho work onvlronmont thot mo, couso portlculor oxlstlng hozords to
couso horm to omplo,oos. A hozord ls on ovont or sltuotlon thot hos
tho potontlol lor couslng horm. Horm rolors to ph,slcol or ps,chologlcol
dotorlorotlon ol hoolth. Tho cousos ol stross oro hozords rolotod to tho
doslgn ond monogomont ol work ond worklng condltlons, ond such
hozords con bo monogod ond tholr ollocts controllod ln tho somo wo,
os othor hozords.
5
Rlsk ossossmont:
whot ,ou con do
obout lt

Assosslng tho rlsks ol work-rolotod stross lnvolvos onsworlng tho lollowlng

boslc quostlons:
ls thoro o problom Could work stross bo olloctlng ,our workors` hoolth
How con tho stross problom bo solvod
ls tho wholo s,stom bolng monltorod
Tho olm ol thoso quostlons ls to ldontll, work proctlcos or clrcumstoncos
thot mo, couso slgnlllcont lmboloncos ol domond ond rosourcos. ln tho
coso ol stross lt ls tho ossoclotlons ol thoso lmboloncos wlth slgns ol stross ln
lndlvlduol omplo,oos ond work groups thot lndlcoto tholr slgnlllconco. Onco
ldontlllod ond ossossod, stops mo, bo tokon to roduco work stross ot tho
group lovol.
lt ls not gonoroll, odvlsoblo to osk omplo,oos loodlng quostlons such os
`oro ,ou strossod`. Rothor, ,ou should oxploro tho oxlstlng rlsks to ,our
omplo,oos` hoolth ond thon docldo on tho bost opprooch lor ,our own
work group. Your cholco ol octlon ond ,our roosons lor tho choson opprooch
should bo rocordod.
Approochos to oxplorlng oxlstlng rlsks:
You should osk omplo,oos dlroctl, obout tholr work probloms ond
whothor or not tho, lool tholr hoolth mo, bo odvorsol, olloctod b,
tholr work
You could osk omplo,oos to doscrlbo tho throo `bost` ond tho throo
`worst` ospocts ol tholr job, ond to so, whothor tho, thought on, ol
thoso ospocts ol work ploco thom undor too much prossuro
Emplo,oos could bo oskod o sot ol moro dotollod quostlons, bosod
on tho llst glvon ln tho soctlon on cousos ol stross (pp.11-12), osklng
thom whothor on, ol thoso posslblo probloms oppl, to tholr own jobs

Quostlons thot oro tollor-modo to spoclllc worklng contoxts oro llkol,

to bo moro usolul ln doslgnlng lurthor octlons thon on, `oll-tho-sholl`
pockogo
Slcknoss obsonco, stoll turnovor, porlormonco lovols, occldonts ond
mlstokos should bo rogulorl, monltorod ond chockod lor oxcossos,
chongos ond pottorns
All thoso sourcos ol lnlormotlon con olort ,ou to potontlol probloms whoro
thoro ls on ldontlllod lmbolonco ol prossuros ond rosourcos. Tho, con olort
,ou to `ot rlsk` work ond work groups whoro on lmbolonco ls ossoclotod
wlth slgns ol stross.
Tle best uu oj jnJng out j our emploees luoe problems ut uork unJ
ul, s smpl to usk tlem.
Tho porson who ls oxport ln tho job ls usuoll, tho porson dolng lt. Vor,
olton monogors mo, hovo qulto dllloront vlows lrom omplo,oos obout
whot cousos probloms. Alwo,s osk omplo,oos lor tholr vlows.
5.2 EssenIlal sIeps ln rlsk managemenI
Rlsk monogomont ls ossontloll, o problom solvlng opprooch to hoolth ond
solot, probloms ond provldos o vohlclo lor tho contlnuous lmprovomont
ol work ond worklng condltlons ond thus tho hoolth ol workors ond tho
hoolthlnoss ol tholr orgonlsotlons.
Rlsk monogomont procoods through o c,clo ol llvo octlons:
[1] on onol,sls ol tho sltuotlon ond on ossossmont ol rlsk,
[2] tho doslgn ol on octlon plon to roduco tho rlsk ol work stross
[3] tho lmplomontotlon ol thot octlon plon ond
[4] lts ovoluotlon, ond
[5] loornlng ond lurthor octlon bosod on tho rosults ol thot ovoluotlon
!
Tho boslc stops ln stross rlsk monogomont oro prosontod ln Toblo ll.
Toblo ll: Boslc Stops ln Stross Rlsk Monogomont
Thlnk obout tho dllloront work groups or workplocos thot moko up
,our orgonlsotlon. Ask ,oursoll whlch oro llkol, to bo tho most strossod
or strosslul.
Whot ovldonco hovo ,ou got lor thls (o.g. hlgh obsonco rotos, poor
hoolth rocords, hlgh occldont rotos, poor morolo, workor or trodos
unlon complolnts, poor productlvlt, otc.).
lnvostlgoto tho wo, ln whlch tho work ol thoso groups or workplocos
ls doslgnod ond monogod, ond oxomlno tholr worklng condltlons.
ldontll,, colloct ond dlscuss tho ovldonco thot ls ovolloblo to ,ou.
Work ln o toom wlth othors who undorstond tho work groups ond
The Risk Management Cycle
Design
Action Plan
to reduce
Risk
Assessment
of Risk
Learning and
further Action
Lvaluation of
Action Plan
Implementation
of Action Plan
"
workplocos. Consult tho workors ond trodo unlons posslbl, through
group dlscusslons.
ldontll, tho moln probloms ond tholr ollocts.
Dlscuss thls lnlormotlon wlth tho rosponslblo monogors ond othor
rolovont pooplo, such os Occupotlonol Hoolth spoclollsts, ond wlth
tho trodo unlons.
Dovolop on octlon plon thot ls opproprloto, roosonoblo ond proctlcol.
Dlscuss how thls plon mlght bo lmplomontod ond modo to work.
lnlorm tho workors ol tho plon ond how lt wlll bo lmplomontod.
Boloro lts lmplomontotlon, dotormlno how thls plon mlght bost bo
ovoluotod.
lmplomont ond ovoluoto tho octlon plon.
Dlscuss tho rosults ol tho ovoluotlon. Whot con bo loornod lrom tho
succossos ond lolluros ol tho octlon plon Whot con bo dono now
Rovlso octlon plon ond lmplomont o now ono to torgot unoccountod
rlsks.
#
T
horo oro o numbor ol wo,s b, whlch tho rlsk ol work stross con bo
roducod. Thoso lncludo:
prmur preoenton, roduclng stross through:
orgonomlcs,
work ond onvlronmontol doslgn,
orgonlsotlonol ond monogomont dovolopmont,
seconJur preoenton, roduclng stross through:
workor oducotlon ond trolnlng, ond
tertur preoenton, roduclng tho lmpoct ol stross b,:
dovoloplng moro sonsltlvo ond rosponslvo monogomont
s,stoms ond onhoncod occupotlonol hoolth provlslon.
Tho orgonlsotlon ltsoll ls o gonorotor ol dllloront t,pos ol rlsk. Tortlor,
provontlon ln orgonlsotlons plocos on omphosls on tho provlslon
ol rosponslvo ond olllclont occupotlonol hoolth sorvlcos. Contomporor,
work stross monogomont should, thoroloro, oncomposs tortlor,
provontlon.
A good omplo,or doslgns ond monogos work ln o wo, thot ovolds
common rlsk loctors lor stross ond provonts os much os posslblo
lorosoooblo probloms.

Tho provontlon ol
work stross
$
Well-JesgneJ uork sloulJ ncluJe.
Cloor orgonlsotlonol structuro Emplo,oos should bo provldod
ond proctlcos wlth cloor lnlormotlon obout tho
structuro, purposo ond proctlcos
ol tho orgonlsotlon.
Approprloto soloctlon, trolnlng ond Eoch omplo,oo`s skllls, knowlodgo
stoll dovolopmont ond obllltlos should bo motchod
os much os posslblo to tho noods
ol ooch job.
Condldotos lor ooch job should bo
ossossod ogolnst thot job`s
roqulromonts.
Whoro nocossor,, sultoblo trolnlng
should bo provldod.
Elloctlvo suporvlslon ond
guldonco ls lmportont ond con
holp protoct stoll lrom stross.
Job doscrlptlons A job doscrlptlon wlll dopond on
on undorstondlng ol tho pollc,,
objoctlvos ond strotog, ol tho
orgonlsotlon, on tho purposo ond
orgonlsotlon ol work ond on tho
wo, porlormonco wlll bo
moosurod.
Job doscrlptlons hovo to bo cloor. lt ls lmportont thot on omplo,oo`s
monogor ond othor ko, stoll oro
oworo ol tho rolovont dotolls ol tho
job ond moko suro thot domonds
oro opproprloto.
%
Tho bottor omplo,oos undorstond
tholr job, tho moro tho, wlll bo
oblo to dlroct tho opproprloto
ollorts towords dolng lt woll.
Communlcotlon Monogors should tolk to tholr stoll,
llston to thom ond moko lt cloor
thot tho, hovo boon hoord.
Communlcotlon ol work
oxpoctotlons should bo
comprohonslblo, conslstont wlth
tho job doscrlptlon ond comploto.
Commltmonts modo to stoll
should bo cloor ond kopt.
Soclol onvlronmont A roosonoblo lovol ol soclollslng
ond toomwork ls olton productlvo
os lt con holp lncrooso
commltmont to work ond to tho
work group.
ln on oxlstlng workploco lt mo, bo lor lrom roosonoblo to oxpoct oll thoso
loctors to bo prosont or lntroducod whoro tho, oro obsont. lt mlght thoroloro
bo bottor to ldontll, on, mlsmotch botwoon domonds ond prossuros, on
tho ono hond, ond workors knowlodgo ond obllltlos, on tho othor, sot
prlorltlos lor chongo ond monogo tho chongo towords rlsk roductlon.
&
Thoro oro vorlous strotoglos to solvo work stross probloms.
Work Rodoslgn
Tho bost strotoglos lor work rodoslgn locus on domonds, knowlodgo
ond obllltlos, support ond control ond lncludo:
Chonglng tho domonds ol work (o.g. b, chonglng tho wo, tho job ls
dono or tho worklng onvlronmont, shorlng tho worklood dlllorontl,).
Ensuro thot omplo,oos hovo or dovolop tho opproprloto knowlodgo
ond obllltlos to porlorm tholr jobs olloctlvol, (o.g. b, soloctlng ond
trolnlng thom proporl, ond b, rovlowlng tholr progross rogulorl,).
lmprovo omplo,oos` control ovor tho wo, tho, do tholr work (o.g.
lntroduco lloxl-tlmo, job-shorlng, moro consultotlon obout worklng
proctlcos).
lncrooso tho omount ond quollt, ol support tho, rocolvo (o.g.
lntroduco `pooplo monogomont` trolnlng schomos lor suporvlsors,
ollow lntoroctlon omong omplo,oos, oncourogo co-oporotlon ond
toomwork).
7
Solvlng work stross
probloms
'
Stross Monogomont Trolnlng
Ask omplo,oos to ottond clossos on roloxotlon, tlmo monogomont,
ossortlvonoss trolnlng or oxorclso.
Ergonomlcs ond Envlronmontol Doslgn
lmprovo oqulpmont usod ot work ond ph,slcol worklng condltlons.
Monogomont Dovolopmont
lmprovo monogors` ottltudos towords doollng wlth work stross, tholr
knowlodgo ond undorstondlng ol lt ond tholr skllls to dool wlth tho
lssuo os olloctlvol, os posslblo.
Orgonlsotlonol Dovolopmont
lmplomont bottor work s,stoms ond monogomont s,stoms. Dovolop
o moro lrlondl, ond supportlvo culturo.
Thoro oro boslcoll, throo wo,s b, whlch omplo,ors con dotoct probloms
oorl, ond provont thom lrom bocomlng sorlous. Thoso oro prosontod bolow.
Eorl, dotoctlon ond provontlon ol work stross-rolotod probloms:
Rogulorl, monltorlng stoll sotlsloctlon ond hoolth.
Moklng suro stoll know whom to tolk to obout probloms.
Knowlng whoro to rolor omplo,oos to lor prolosslonol holp whon
tho, oppoor to bo oxporlonclng rool dllllcultlos. Smoll buslnossos
would porhops rolor ln tho llrst lnstonco to tholr omplo,oos` Gonorol
Proctltlonor. Lorgor buslnossos mo, hovo occoss to tholr own
occupotlonol hoolth sorvlco or Emplo,oo Asslstonco Progrommo.

lt ls ossontlol thot ,ou toko stops to conllrm tho olloctlvonoss ol tho moosuros
,ou hovo tokon to corroct work stross.
You sloulJ jollou up our jnJngs ujter u sutuble peroJ unJ compure
tlem utl our eurler jnJngs unJ nterpretuton ut tle tme oj tle ntul
ussessment.
Your mothod ol lollow-up should bo rocordod ond oxplolnod. ll nocossor,,
,ou mo, hovo to rovlso ,our opprooch to work stross probloms.

8
Corlng lor troublod
workors
T
hls ls tortlor, provontlon to work stross. Whon oll ollorts towords
provontlng work stross ond controlllng lorosoooblo rlsk hovo lollod,
,ou nood to oct swlltl, ond opproprlotol, to dool wlth workors who
oro bolng hurt b, tho oxporlonco ol work stross. You wlll bo lnvolvod both
ln ldontll,lng omplo,oos ln troublo ond ln monoglng tholr problom.
ln cosos thot connot bo hondlod b, tho omplo,or or monogor, oxport
osslstonco should bo sought.
Stops ol tortlor, provontlon ol work stross:
ldontll,lng tho problom
Work stross ls usuoll, rovoolod b, obsorvotlons ol workor dllllcultlos
or workor complolnts ol dllllcultlos ond lll hoolth.
Slgns lncludo lrrltoblllt,, oggrosslon, orrors, docroosod porlormonco,
lncroosos ln smoklng, drlnklng ond substonco obuso, hlghor lovols
ol obsontoolsm ond cllonts` complolnts.
You should look lor on, chongos ln workors` bohovlour or hoolth.
Such wornlng slgns should novor bo lgnorod. Whoro thoso slgns
colncldo wlth oxcosslvo work prossuros or domonds, ,ou should
consldor thot tho workors mo, bo sullorlng lrom work stross.

Whot should ,ou do to holp

An lndlvlduol workor`s probloms ond tho solutlons to thoso probloms
should bo dlscussod wlth tho workor, doscrlbod ond ogrood.
Tlmlng ol such dlscusslons mo, dopond on workor`s stoto ol woll-
bolng.
Posslblo lntorvontlons, both lndlvlduol (o.g. trolnlng, modlcol
trootmont, counsolllng) ond orgonlsotlonol (o.g. job ro-doslgn,
chongos ln monogomont proctlcos) should bo plonnod, lmplomontod
ond ovoluotod.
Rocords
Corolul rocords should bo kopt, ond progross ovoluotod.
Rocords should bo occuroto, dool wlth locts ond polnts ol ovldonco.
Oplnlons ond judgomonts should not bo roprosontod os locts.
Proposod octlons ond tho roosons lor tholr soloctlons should bo
ogrood whoro posslblo ond rocordod.
!
9
Orgonlsotlonol
culturo
O
rgonlsotlonol culturo ls ono ol tho ko, loctors ln dotormlnlng how
succosslul on orgonlsotlon wlll bo ln monoglng work stross.
Orgunsutonul culture s rejlecteJ n tle utttuJes oj stujj, tler slureJ belejs
ubout tle orgunsuton, tler slureJ oulue sstems unJ common unJ
upprooeJ uus oj beluong ut uork.
Orgonlsotlonol culturo olso concorns how probloms oro rocognlsod ond
solvod. lt con olloct whot ls oxporloncod os strosslul, how thot oxporlonco
tronslotos lnto hoolth dllllcultlos, how both stross ond hoolth oro roportod
ond how tho orgonlsotlon rosponds to such roports.
Emplo,ors, monogors ond trodo unlon roprosontotlvos must thoroloro
bocomo oworo ol tho culturo ol on orgonlsotlon, ond oxploro lt ln rolotlon
to tho monogomont ol work stross. ll nocossor,, thoso portlos must ongogo
ln culturo chongo octlvltlos os on lmportont ospoct ol lmprovlng tho
monogomont ol stross ot work.
"
1
Rosourcos lor
monoglng work
stross
A
ll omplo,ors should corolull, consldor tho s,stoms thot tho, hovo
ln ploco lor ossosslng, provontlng ond othorwlso monoglng work
stross.
You must be uuure oj our orgunsuton's sstems unJ resources jor
munugng stress.
lntornol rosourcos mo, lncludo occupotlonol hoolth sorvlcos, humon
rosourco monogomont (porsonnol), trolnlng doportmonts or othor
lndlvlduols wlth rosponslblllt, lor stoll woll-bolng ond hoolth.
lndlvlduol probloms whlch oro complox, dllllcult ond not monogooblo
lntornoll,, oro bost doolt wlth b, o counsolllng ps,chologlst, cllnlcol
ps,chologlst, counsollor, or on occupotlonol ph,slclon who mo, consult
wlth o gonorol proctltlonor or othor spoclollst lunctlons os doomod nocossor,.
ldontlllcotlon ol on, groups ot rlsk wlthln ,our orgonlsotlon ls cruclol ond
should occompon, tho oxomlnotlon ol ovolloblo orgonlsotlonol rosourcos
lor monoglng work stross.
#
11
Concludlng
romorks
W
ork stross ls o rool chollongo lor workors ond tholr omplo,lng
orgonlsotlons. As orgonlsotlons ond tholr worklng onvlronmont
tronslorm, so do tho klnds ol stross probloms thot omplo,oos
mo, loco. lt ls lmportont thot ,our workploco ls bolng contlnuousl,
monltorod lor stross probloms.
Furthor, lt ls not onl, lmportont to ldontll, stross probloms ond to dool wlth
thom but to promoto hoolth, work ond roduco hormlul ospocts ol work.
Work ln ltsoll con bo o soll-promotlng octlvlt, os long os lt tokos ploco ln o
solo, dovolopmont- ond hoolth-promotlng onvlronmont.
5uccessjul emploers unJ munugers
prooJe leuJerslp n Jeulng utl tle
clullenge oj uork stress
GOOD MANAGEMENT IS
STRESS MANAGEMENT
$
12
Roloroncos ond
Furthor Roodlng
C
oopor, CL, Llukkonon, P. & Cortwrlght, S. (16) Stross provontlon
ln tho workploco: ossosslng tho costs ond bonollts to orgonlsotlons.
Dublln: Europoon Foundotlon lor tho lmprovomont ol Llvlng ond
Worklng Condltlons.
Cox, T., & Cox, S. (13) Ps,chosoclol ond Orgonlzotlonol Hozords:
Monltorlng ond Control. Occoslonol Sorlos ln Occupotlonol Hoolth, No.5.
World Hoolth Orgonlzotlon (Europo), Coponhogon, Donmork.
Cox, T., Grllllths, A.J, Borlow, C., Rondoll, R. Thomson, T. & Rlol Gonzloz,
E. (2000) Orgunsutonul nteroentons jor uork stress. A rsk munugement
upproucl. Sudbur,: HSE Books. lSBN 0 7176 1838 2.
Cox, T., Grllllths A., & Rlol Gonzoloz, E. (2000) Reseurcl on uork-reluteJ
stress. Europoon Agonc, lor Solot, ond Hoolth ot Work. Luxombourg,
Olllco lor Olllclol Publlcotlons ol tho Europoon Communltlos. lSBN: 2-
828-255-7. http://ogonc,.osho.ou.lnt/publlcotlons/roports/stross
http://lnt.osho.ou.lnt/good_proctlco/rlsks/stross
lntornotlonol Lobour Orgonlzotlon [lLO] (186) Ps,chosoclol Foctors ot
Work: Rocognltlon ond Control. Occupotlonol Solot, ond Hoolth Sorlos
no: 56, lntornotlonol Lobour Olllco, Gonovo.
lntornotlonol Lobour Orgonlzotlon [lLO] (12) Provontlng Stross ot Work.
Condltlons ol Work Dlgost, 11, lntornotlonol Lobour Olllco, Gonovo.
%
Furthor lnlormotlon
WHO
World Hoolth Orgonlzotlon
Avonuo Applo 20
CH-1211 Gonovo
Swltzorlond
Tol: +41 22 71 35 31
http://www.who.lnt/ooh/lndox.html
EASHW
Europoon Agonc, lor Solot, ond Hoolth ot Work
Gron Vlo 33
E-4800 Bllboo
Spoln
Tol: +34 44 74 360
http://www.groonocllpso.com/ooshw.htm
lLO
lntornotlonol Lobour Olllco
4, routo dos Morlllons
CH-1211 Gonovo 22
Swltzorlond
Tol: +44 22 7 61 11
http://www.llo.org/
NlOSH
Notlonol lnstltuto lor Occupotlonol Solot, ond Hoolth
4676 Columblo Porkwo,
Clnclnnotl, OH 45226-18
Tol: +1-800-553-6847
http://www.cdc.gov/nlosh/homopogo.html