Our main points are:
Work is increasingly described as being synonymous with stress. This is a gross oversimplification of the issue since, as many businesses recognise, a good employer can be a major part of the solution. Good management controls stressors, helps to minimise the risks of stress arising and promotes good mental health.
We remain concerned at the tone and content of much HSE publicity which frequently implies that all stress is solely work-related – a poor reflection of reality. Stress is a function of life, particularly modern life, it arises out of natural concerns, for income, security, and well-being. Work can and does have many positive benefits.
We believe that ‘work is good for you’ - it leads to good health and in turn contributes to a happy and productive workforce, improved business performance and greater competitiveness.
While we are in broad agreement with the principles of the Standards, but we do not accept the need for percentage targets.
Overall, we believe that the ‘Standards’ simply reflect good management practice. This ought to be made clearer. They are statements of principle rather than standards and should be renamed as Principles. As management principles they should be seen to have the support of management bodies such as the CIPD, IoM, Cranfield Institute and other established business schools etc.
Stress at work and bullying are often conflated. Relationships clearly have a major influence on well-being at work, since they account for many of the causes of stress outside work. However, bullying is at the extreme end of the spectrum of potentially poor relationships with colleagues, including managers, and it needs to be treated differently to other stress factors with a clear policy and disciplinary code of its own.
You can download our response to the draft Standards opposite.