When it comes to stress in the workplace you should think about a risk assessment, says Steven Harris.
The theme of World Mental Health Day focuses on workplace stress. Employee mental health is something that must be considered by all employers. This is not just a moral imperative, but with a 1:4.7 return on investment ratio, the business case is undeniable. This is all underpinned by the legal imperative, which is made clear within the primary legislation of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Have no fear, this does not mean you must devote vast resources to subsidise yoga classes and train legions of Mental Health First Aiders. All it requires is a suitable and sufficient risk assessment that identifies the psychosocial hazards that your employees face, meaning you can then make an informed decision about how to manage that risk.
To do this you must be aided by competent people, which is also a legal requirement. This person(s) could be you, and they would likely begin by gathering data from several sources such as (and this is not exhaustive): absenteeism and turnover rates; employee assistance programme usage; engagement and cultural surveys; exit interviews, incident reports, for example.
Once this information had been analysed, you would need to assemble an appropriate quorum to complete the risk assessment. This would generally include management, human resources, EAP and diversity and inclusion co-ordinators, occupational health and safety practitioners , and workforce representatives such as the Unions.
Credible health professional
It is best practise to include a credible health professional who is qualified to validate the risk control measures. We would only ever work with those registered by The Health and Care Professions Council or named on a register accredited by the Professional Standards Authority. All of the relevant registers are freely available online.
The person facilitating the risk assessment would also need to be appropriately qualified. This is so that the process can be completed in a way that not only satisfies the relevant obligations within the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, but also takes due consideration of The Equality Act 2010; The Employment Rights Act 1996 and also GDPR.
Once you have completed the process and have your findings, then you also have your strategy. If the risk assessment was completed compliantly then it won’t take long to recognise gains on the balance sheet. Basically, if there was a human involved within an organisational process, it should show an improvement because of the risk assessment.
In summary, workplace mental health should be tackled like any other workplace hazard. This means that most organisations already have the internal means and knowledge to get started with a risk assessment process, with minimal external assistance. So why not mark this World Mental Health Day by completing your organisational risk assessment?
Steven Harris is MD at Integrity HSE and in 2023, was voted the profession’s Most Influential as part of the SHP Awards.
This year’s SHP Awards are now open and you can vote for your Most Influential, Trailblazer or Rising Star here.
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