New Code of Conduct

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2003 1:40 pm

A new code of conduct could open up a new can of worms for employers next year.
An estimated 13 million working days are lost through stres related illness according to health watchdogs - thats an estimated total cost to British Industry of about £4.5 billion a year!

The proposed new Health & Safety Executives Code is intended to steer companies toward good working practices and enable employees to deal with bullying bosses.

The proposals cover six main areas:
Demands on Staff
The control people have over their working lives
Support for employees
Working relationships
Clear definitions of role and involvement of change.
Along side this, the HSE gives a model stress policy for companies and includes an audit to identify problems and devise solutions, consultation with Union officials on changes and training for managers.

Companies would be expected to provide confidential counselling for employees suffering with stress at OR AT HOME.
Companies would have to ensure that staff are not over loaded with work, do not spend too long at their posts and DO take all their holiday entitlements.

According to some studies, up to 5 million workers a day say they feel 'very' or 'extremely' stressed by their work, while half a million state that work related stress is making them physically ill.

Guide to Helath & Safety Blueprint
1. DEMANDS
The organisation must ensure at least 85% of staff are able to cope with the demands of their job. This includes limiting repetitive and boring jobs as far as possible.

2. CONTROL
The organisation must ensure at least 85% can have a say about the way they do their work. This includes some control over the pace of work and timing of breaks.

3. SUPPORT
The organisation must ensure that at least 85% of staff receive adequate information and support from their collegues and superiors. This includes confidence that managers will address concerns seriously and provide counselling services.

4. ROLE
THe organisation must ensure at least 65% of staff understand their role and responsibilities. For example, people should not be 'expected' to perform tasks outside of their agreed role, without consultation.

5. RELATIONSHIPS
The organisation must ensure that at least 65% of staff are not subject to unaccetpable beahviour, such as bullying. This includes encouraging people to be open and honest with each other and making them aware of the penalties associated with bad beahviour.

6. CHANGE
The organisation must ensure at least 65% of staff are happy that they are involved in the decision making process of change. Staff MUST be consulted, offered reasons and provided with a teimetable.

I wonder where they got the idea for this little lot then? - Admin[/b]

Honorary Member Joined: May 09, 2003 Posts: 45

Since the so called Hatton Four cases in January 2002 heard by Lady Justice Hale in the court of appeal the law in this area has been under fire. Employers who offered employee confidential counselling services to their staff were' unlikely to be found in breach' of the law relating to stress according to the judgment. One of the Hatton four, a Mr Barber takes his next appeal to the House of Lords listed in early January 2004. The appeal papers, it is said by his representative, are based on breaches of the Health and Safety law ( 1974 Act). If this is successful then the law will have teeth in the area of stressed workers alongside the new code of practice issued by the HSE.

The HSE commissioned lots of costly research and the results show alarming rates of stress in workers. We receive up to 10 calls a day from stressed employees wanting to sue their employers.

Key signs to watch for in employer awareness of their duties are

1. Is there a stress policy in place and is it adhered to?
2. Is your company offering confidential employee counselling?
3. Is there any form of questionnaire being sent around for you to comment on stress anonymously?
4. If a staff member goes off sick with stress do they get interviewed on return and their job's risk assessed?

I am sure the above will resound with hoots of laughter and 'you must be joking' but it is time for a big wake up call for lots of employers. With confidential counselling coming in at low annual costs there really is no excuse for ignoring stressed workers any longer. Happy workers are more productive, take less time off sick and form better family relationships. The claims against the employer's insurance polices for stress at work claims is causing major loss and a rise in premiums across the board.

The HSE will have their work cut out to address this issue as they are inundated with physical injuries also.

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2003 2:10 pm

I would have to agree with you on, oh so many points!
It is nice to see the HSE doing 'something' when it has been slated so much recently due to financial cut-backs.

Something that we ourselves have tried to put across is "a happy workforce is an effective and efficient workforce" but alas, there are still far too many companies, in most industries, that are maintaining their ostrich impressions with heads firmly buried in the sand.

Whilst I myself personally and the Guild as a whole have always fought for better working conditions for the workforce, I'm not entirely sure that the HSE has bitten off more than it can chew on this occassion, as far as the Security Industry goes.

Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2003 6:40 pm

It will be interested to see how this is going to be regulated. Stress is part of my job and I knew that when I took it on. If I don't want to be stressed I will find another job. My Employer offers counselling etc and is more than generous with certain benefits but the stress is still present.

I still feel that sometimes we are all getting to soft although I do know that there are those that need this regulation.

Posted: Mon Jun 30, 2003 8:36 pm

Yes, the way in which this latest piece of H&S related blurb will be regulated should prove interesting. Especially when ne considers that they already have more than their hands full.

One does have to question the extremes to which legislation has to be introduced to provide a work life balance but, I think it is important that we remember that if several people do exactly the same job, some will be stressed whilst others are not. Equally, some individuals, like Leon, positively thrive on a bit of stress - or should that be 'pressure'?

I think we all benefit from being 'pushed' slightly and indeed, it can prevent boredom and monotnoy setting in.

I think they key lies in the individuals ability to control his/her work load.

I suppose in a culture when the number of employees are wittled down to save costs but the need for the company to maintain its competetive ability rules, extra workloads will inevitably lead to work related stress. This might be as a direct result of severe workload increase or through the fear of 'I better work harder or it might be my turn for redundancy next'.

Funnily enough, I read recently of a survey that allegedly reported workplace stress increased when your Boss is a bully.