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HSE Stress Management Standards not working?

By editor ⋅ January 5, 2009 ⋅  Printable version ⋅

Since the inception in 2004 of the HSE’s Management Standards for tackling work related stress, they have monitored the change in the mental health and work related stress incidents. In their 2008 report, Psychosocial working conditions in Britain in 2008 the HSE have noted that there has been no significant change in the psychosocial working conditions comparing the 2008 figures with the 2004 figures. The report does note that in a similar investigation last year, 2007, there was a general improvement, however, this has not been maintained through 2008.

HSE have been predicting an improvement in the figures, and during 2006 initiated a sustained campaign to encourage all employers to use the Standards, with particular emphasis on certain sectors with the most improvements to be made, Financial, Public Administration, Education a`nd Health & Social Work.

In 2007, the study showed that the numbers of workers who reported their jobs as either very stressful, or extremely stressful, were steadily decreasing. However, the latest figures do not continue this trend, and more workers have reported their jobs as stressful in 2008 than at any other time, including 2004 when the Standards were first introduced.

The HSE suggest that the disappointing figures may be as a result of delay between implementing the Management Standards and benefits being realised, coupled with other external economic and social factors. Perhaps a more realistic response would be to note that it is all too easy to implement the Management Standards and auditing without achieving meaningful results, or acting on those results.

Tags: hse, management standards, Stress