Stress toolkit

UCU model stress questionnaire

Members of the teaching/lecturing staff have been reporting that the increasing levels of
stress at work are affecting their health, well-being and job satisfaction. In order to gather
evidence, which may be presented to management, the UCU branch/LA is conducting a
stress questionnaire.
Please answer the following questions. Your replies will be treated in the strictest
confidence we are not asking you to provide your name. Please return the completed
form to your UCU reps or direct to .. using the attached envelope, by
The questionnaire applies to all teaching staff, UCU and non-UCU members alike. We
hope that all members of the teaching staff will appreciate the importance of this and take
a few minutes to fill it in. You should find it takes no more than 10 to 15 minutes to
complete.

Part 1: Background details

1. Please indicate your position/staff grade:
Lecturer
Part time Lecturer
Researcher
Senior Lecturer
Principal Lecturer
Management Post

Please Circle
1
2
3
4
5
6

2. Is your post:

Permanent
Temporary

Please Circle
1
2

3. Are you:

Male
Female

4. Do you consider yourself a disabled person?

Please Circle
1
2
Please Circle
Yes
No

Model stress questionnaire

5. Are you:

Please Circle
1
2
3

White British
Irish
Other
Asian/British
Bangladeshi
Indian
Pakistani
Other

4
5
6
7

Black/Black British
African
Caribbean
Other
Mixed
White/Asian
White/Black African
White/Black Caribbean
Other
Chinese/Other Ethnic Group
Chinese
Any Other

6. Age:

8
9
10

11
12
13
14
15
16

Please Circle
1
2
3
4
5

Under 26
26-35
36-45
46-55
56+

7. Which department are you in?..............................................................................

Model stress questionnaire

Part 2: Stress Symptoms

7. How would you describe your general health 3 years ago and now:
Please Circle
3 yrs ago
Good
Reasonable
Poor

Present

1
1
1

2
2
2

8. Are you experiencing, or have you experienced any of these stress symptoms in
the last year?
Please Circle
Never
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
n.
o.
p.
q.
r.

Headaches/migraine
Aches and pains
High blood pressure
Poor sleep patterns
Skin Rashes
Indigestion
Stomach ulcers
Asthma
Anxiety
Depression
Heart disease
Changes in appetite
Exhaustion
Increased consumption of
tobacco.
Increased consumption of
alcohol.
Inability to concentrate
Erratic moods
Low self esteem/confidence

Sometimes

Often

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2

3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3

1
1
1
1

2
2
2
2

3
3
3
3

Model stress questionnaire

9. While working do you ever feel:

Please circle
Never
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

a. Irritated
b. Angry
c. Frustrated
d. Helpless
e. Anxious
f. Depressed
g. Unable to concentrate
h. Over tired

Sometimes
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2

Often
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3

10. Have you taken leave in the past 12 months due to work related stress?
Please Circle
Yes
1

11. If Yes, how long for?

A few days
1

No
2

Please Circle
one week
2

two weeks
3

longer
4

12. Have stress related symptoms returned on your return to work?

Please circle
Yes
1

No
2

13. Has your GP suggested that your condition was due to your work?
Please circle
Yes
1

No
2

Model stress questionnaire

14. Are you receiving treatment from your GP for stress related symptoms?
Please Circle
Yes
1

No
2

Part 3: Workload
15. Please estimate the average number of hours per week that you work (both on
and off site) during term time.
Please circle
30 35
36- - 40
41 45
46 50
51 +

1
2
3
4
5

16. (a) Please indicate how, if at all, your total workload has changed over the last
five years, and two years
Please circle

Workload has decreased

Remained the same
Workload increased

5 years

2 years

1
2
3

1
2
3

If your workload has increased, please go to questions 16b & 17 below.

If your workload has decreased or remained the same, please go to question 18.

Model stress questionnaire

16 (b) If your workload has increased, please indicate below the approximate extent
by which it has changed.
Workload has increased by:

Please circle
Over 5 years
1
2
3
4
5

a. about a quarter
b. about a half
c. about three quarters
d. about double
e. more than double

Over 2 years
1
2
3
4
5

17. If your workload has increased please indicate on the scale below:
a. which factors have been significant in causing the increase
b. which single factor has contributed most to your increased workload.
Significant factors
(You may select
more than one)
(please circle)
Factors
Changes in conditions of service
Teaching new courses
Admin (general)
Increased student numbers
Inspection/auditing processes
Meeting targets/deadlines
Keeping up with new ed. initiatives
Need to generate income
Requirement to undertake research
Other (please specify below)

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

Single most important

factor (choose one
only please)
(please circle one)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

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Model stress questionnaire

Part 4: Factors Causing Stress

18. Which factors associated with your current post do you think create work related
stress? Please circle on the scale below, how significant each of these factors are:
Not
applicable

Occasionally
stressful

Stressful

Very
Stressful

a Dealing with student discipline

b larger classes/more students
c Dealing with aggressive/violent
behaviour

1
1
1

2
2
2

3
3
3

4
4
4

d Teaching new courses

e Dealing with new education initiatives

f Administration
g Frequent changes to timetable or
courses

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

h Increased workload

i Need to hit targets/deadlines

j Long working hours

k Increase in temporary/ part time
contracts

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

l Inspection/auditing processes

m Lone working

n Off site/multi site working

o Traveling time

p Lack of regular breaks

q Staff appraisal
r Presenteeism feeling unable to take
time-off sick

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

Stress related factors

Demands

Control
a Not able to exert control over
demands made
b Lack of participation in decision
making
c Dealing with competing demands
unable to plan working day
d Work linked to deadlines & targets
7

Model stress questionnaire

Very
Stressful
4

2
2

3
3

4
4

1
1
1
1
1

2
2
2
2
2

3
3
3
3
3

4
4
4
4
4

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

a Conflicting demands in job role

b Unclear job description

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

c Lack of support in job role

d Efforts not valued

e Lack of participation in decision
making
f Lack of promotion prospects
g Lack of career development
opportunities
h Poor pay prospects due to hourly
paid /agency worker status

a Pace and intensity of change

b New educational initiatives

Stress related factors

e Changes in terms & conditions
without consultation
f Job changes without consultation

Not
applicable
1

Occasionally
stressful
2

1
1

g Lack of funds/resources/ support to

do the job
h Given responsibility without the
authority to take decisions
i Insufficient time for scholarship and/or
research

Stressful

Relationships
a Bullying behaviour from managers/
staff/ students
b Harassment by managers/ staff/
students
c Dealing with conflictual situations
d Lack of line management support
e Feeling isolated in curriculum area
f Lack of communication with staff
g New styles of institutional
management
h Feeling that your work is not valued
i Lack of involvement and information
as hourly paid lecturer
Role

Change

Model stress questionnaire

Not
applicable
1

Occasionally
stressful
2

Very
Stressful
4

e Uncertainty due to merger

f Pressures from funding organizations
g Impact of restructuring on
workload/job responsibilities
h Large increases in numbers of part
time/temporary staff

1
1
1

2
2
2

3
3
3

4
4
4

i Changes without consultation

j Lack of participation in decision
making

1
1

2
2

3
3

4
4

a Lack of information about what is

going on

b Insufficient admin support

c Feeling work not valued

d Lack of management support
e Limited or no access to training
f Over competitive/ confrontational
institutional culture
g Lack of funds/resources to do the job
h Lack of facilities, eg photocopiers
i Lack of facilities and support due to
hourly paid status

1
1
1
1

2
2
2
2

3
3
3
3

4
4
4
4

1
1
1

2
2
2

3
3
3

4
4
4

Stress related factors

c High degree of uncertainty about
work due to re-organization
d High degree of uncertainty due to
restructuring & redundancies

Stressful

Support

Part 5: Overview
19. What do you see yourself doing five years from now?
Working in the same post
Working in a promoted post
Working for another establishment in a similar post
Working for another establishment in a promoted post
Change career no longer teaching
Retired

Please circle
1
2
3
4
5
6

Model stress questionnaire

20. What are the two things, which would make a significant difference to the stress
concerns identified above?

21. Please use the space below to provide any other information or comments you wish to
make about Lecturers workload and factors affecting levels of stress.
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Thank you for taking the time to fill in the questionnaire. (If you are not a UCU member you
are welcome to join. Please contact ..for an application form).

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