Document
Version
Subject to Approval By
Approved
Subject to review
Last review Date
Signed
FXU-BOT-119
Managing Stress Policy
Version a (Draft)
FXU Board
30th October 2014
No more than 2 years
October 2016
1. Introduction
This document sets out FXU policy and objectives for preventing and managing harmful levels of employee stress,
regardless of whether the origin is work-related or external factors. As FXU has close links with Falmouth
University we are able to gain advice and support from their Human Resources and Health & Safety Departments.
Policy Statement:
FXU is committed to promoting a healthy working environment for all its staff. We recognise that excessive levels
of stress are a potential cause of ill-health and acknowledge the importance of identifying, preventing and
managing the risk of stress to enable staff to maximise their potential within a positive working environment.
Our objectives are to:
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Ensure that managers are able to identify sources of harmful levels of work-related stress and, as far as is
reasonably practicable to do so, either prevent or reduce the risk of their employees being exposed;
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Enable managers and employees to recognise, at an early stage, problems which might indicate stress
related symptoms; and
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Provide support for those who are suffering ill health due to work-related or other stress and provide
assistance to enable employees to recover their full potential as soon as possible.
This policy should be read in conjunction with other relevant FXU policies and the risk assessment for work
related stress.
2. Definition of stress
The Health and Safety Executive defines stress as “the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressure or
other types of demand placed on them”. This makes an important distinction between pressure, which can be a
positive state if managed correctly, and stress which can be detrimental to health. Work places demands and
pressures on everyone. Appropriate amounts can stimulate and motivate - hopefully overall with beneficial
effects. If demands and pressures are too great, they can induce, in anyone, the harmful or potentially harmful
mental and physical feelings and manifestations commonly known as stress. Each individual member of staff will
react differently to a situation.
3. Causes of Work-Related Stress
The Health and Safety Executive has developed six Management Standards to help assess and tackle the main
causes of stress. FXU commits to using these HSE Management Standards to ensure that the risk of work-related
stress is effectively managed. The standards focus on six aspects of work as follows:
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Demands – Includes issues like workload, work pattern and the work environment
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Control – How much say the person has in the way they do their work
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Support – Includes the encouragement and resources provided by the organisation, line management and
colleagues
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Relationships – Includes promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable
behaviour
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Role – Whether people understand their role within the organisation and whether the organisation
ensures that the person does not have conflicting roles
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Change – How organisation change (large or small) is managed and communicated in the organisation
External factors, for example difficulties in an employee’s personal life, can also make it difficult for an individual
to cope with the demands of their job.
FXU will ensure that the management standards outlined above are recognised as part of the responsibilities of
managers as clarified in Section 6 of this policy and will use the standards to help identify sources of harmful
levels of stress at work via a specific risk assessment.
4. Indicators of Stress
Harmful levels of stress can result in a number of adverse psychological and physical symptoms which can lead to
anxiety and depression.
For the individual there can be a number of indicators both physical and psychological - headaches, disturbed
sleep, fatigue, aches and pains, chest pain and palpitations. Irritability, poor concentration and changes in
appetite can also occur.
These are reversible but serious long term health problems can develop if high levels of stress are sustained.
For FXU it can cause increased sickness absence levels, increased staff turnover and reduced productivity.
5. Responsibilities
a. FXU Managers are responsible for :
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Gaining appropriate levels of competence in managing staff through participation in training,
reflection on practice, and other developmental activities;
Recognising that staff are individuals - enabling, supporting and coaching staff to enable them to
achieve their potential;
Ensuring there is an effective planning process;
Ensuring effective communication, consultation and involvement in decision making where changes
affect employees and their working environment;
Reviewing staff progress against objectives, workloads, hours and general wellbeing to ensure that
employees are not overloaded and are coping effectively;
Ensuring attendance is pro actively managed, including the implementation of return to work
interviews;
Ensuring staff have adequate direction, clarity, control, resources and information to enable them to
achieve their objectives;
Facilitating team development to promote good working relationships amongst team members and
supporting meaningful development for individuals;
Ensuring that bullying and harassment is not tolerated through promotion of a positive culture and
addressing issues identified effectively;
Conducting and implementing recommendations of risks assessments within their jurisdiction (see
appendix 1 for risk assessment form); and
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Ensuring access to appropriate sources of advice and support (e.g. EAP), and if necessary making
referrals to Occupational Health.
b. Occupational Health and Safety staff are able to:
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Provide specialist advice on stress;
Support managers in implementing risk assessments including impact on staff stress levels;
Support individuals who have been off sick with stress and advise them and their management on a
planned return to work;
Refer to staff counsellors or specialist agencies as required;
Monitor and review the effectiveness of measures to reduce stress; and
c. FXU are responsible for :
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Contributing to the development, implementation and review of the Managing Stress Policy and
other wellbeing initiatives;
Providing support and guidance for managers implementing the policy;
Supporting staff who have been off work due to stress and advising them and managers on a planned
return to work;
Providing advice and guidance for managers in conjunction with Occupational Health, identifying and
dealing with individual issues relating to employee wellbeing;
Providing information for monitoring stress indicators, including absences and retention;
Providing advice and support for managers and individuals implementing change;
Continuing to monitor and review employee wellbeing provision at FXU; and
Monitoring working hours and overtime where appropriate to ensure staff are not overloaded.
d. Staff are responsible for :
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Recognising their own limitations and taking steps to minimise impact;
Taking responsibility for their own personal development through participation in FXU training,
reflection on practice, and other developmental activities;
Raising concerns, normally in the first instance with their line manager, or with SMT where
appropriate;
Receiving advice from Occupational Health (normally following a Management referral), including
taking up opportunities for counselling if appropriate; and
Ensuring they plan work to enable adequate breaks and use of annual leave entitlement.
e. FXU Board of Trustees shall :
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ensure that this policy is implemented; and
Oversee the monitoring of the policy and other measures to reduce stress and promote workplace
health and safety.
6. Recognised Trades Unions
FXU recognises that trade unions and other employee representatives have a positive role to play in all areas of
health and safety, including work related stress where it might exist.
7. Confidentiality
Confidentiality will be maintained between the individual and their manager, and other relevant support services
where and as appropriate.
8. Monitoring the effectiveness of policy
The effectiveness of the policy will be monitored through 1 to 1’s and any exit interviews.
APPENDIX 1
Risk Assessment Form for Work Related Stress
Job / Individual / Department assessed
Assessor if other than the responsible manager
Reason for risk assessment
No of people covered by assessment
Responsible manager
Potential work related stressors
identified
A. DEMANDS
B. CONTROL
C. RELATIONSHIPS
D. CHANGE
E. ROLE
Existing control measures
Further control measures required
Target date for
implementation and person
responsible
Review date
F. SUPPORT AND THE INDIVIDUAL
Any comments?
If the risk assessment involves a named employee show the risk assessment to the employee and ask them to read the following sentence and, if they are in agreement with it,
to sign below:
I am aware that this risk assessment has taken place and am in agreement with it
Name of employee:
Signature of employee:
Has a copy of this risk assessment forwarded been forwarded to Finance & Operations Manager?
Date: