Staff guide to managing and reducing stress

Guidance on how to manage work-related stress.

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This guide supports the implementation of the Managing Stress at Work Policy. It provides a step-by-step guide, ideas, and resources so that you can identify and manage your own experience of stress.听

Pressures that can cause stress:听

The stress response occurs when the actual or perceived pressures on an individual are greater than their ability to cope. It is important to recognise the types of pressures that might contribute to feelings of stress in yourself and the signs that all may not be well.听听

Pressures might come from:鈥�

Personal life听

Mental and/or physical ill health鈥�
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Family problems鈥�
Home environment鈥�
Neighbour disputes鈥�
Financial difficulties鈥�

Work life鈥�

lack of control over the way work is done鈥�
too much or insufficient work鈥�
role conflict or鈥痩ack of role definition鈥�
underused skills鈥�
unsatisfactory relationships鈥�
lack of support from colleagues鈥�
lack of feedback鈥�
lack of clarity about expectations鈥�
lack of information听
lack of rest, e.g. not taking annual leave

Signs that you may be experiencing stress:听

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Constant tiredness鈥�
Poor concentration鈥�
Loss of confidence鈥�
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罢别补谤蹿耻濒苍别蝉蝉鈥�
Poor sleep鈥�
Frequent headaches or other aches and pains鈥�

叠别丑补惫颈辞耻谤蝉听

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Poor time keeping鈥�
Poor performance鈥�
Unusual absence鈥�
Poor judgement鈥�
Inappropriate humour鈥�
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Increase / decrease eating鈥�
Increased use of alcohol, tobacco, caffeine听

鈥櫶�

听

What you can expect from your manager听

To understand UCL鈥檚 policy and their specific role in managing work-related stress听
To understand the work-related demands on you, your personal needs, and circumstances听
To support you to manage work related stress听
To complete a Stress Risk Assessment with you听
To identify areas of support and available resources听
To ensure the impact of stress is being reasonably managed and mitigated听

Your manager can only support you if you share information about what you are experiencing with them. If they don鈥檛 not know this, there is little they can do to support you. If you feel unable to speak to your manager, you can contact an HR colleague, or, you can contact the Employee Assistant Programme to discuss concerns.听

What you can do to manage stress听

Take a proactive role in managing your wellbeing听
Make sure you are using your annual leave allowance and tracking remaining leave using MyHR. Taking appropriate rest from work is critical to manage your wellbeing听听
Record any sickness absence on MyHR to help you identify any patterns you may feel you need to raise with your manager when asking for support. It also allows departmental issue to show up in central absence reporting, so that any issues can be addressed.听
Seek appropriate advice and support at an early stage if difficulties arise.听
Visit the Being Well at 皇家华人 pages to access wellbeing resources鈥�
Consider a self-referral or ask your manager to complete a management referral to Workplace Health听听
Utilise UCL鈥檚 Employee Assistance Programme to support your wellbeing听听
Speak to your manager or HR colleague if you need guidance听听
Ask your manager to have a confidential conversation about how you feel听
Complete a to help you identify areas of stress听

Steps you should take to manage and reduce stress听

Step 1: Ask your manager for an informal conversation to discuss concerns听

Purpose:听

To let your manager know you are experiencing levels of stress听
To find out what resources are available if you don鈥檛 already know about them听
To book a date to complete a stress risk assessment together听

Step 2: Complete a听 Stress Self-Assessment听

Purpose听

To explore your perceived cause of stress.听
Clarify your thoughts and feelings听
To think about what support you may need prior to completing a stress risk assessment听

Step 3: Meet with your manager to complete a stress risk assessment together听听

Purpose听

To discuss sources of stress and complete a stress risk assessment together.听
Share your findings and ideas from the stress self-assessment you completed听
Discuss actions and ideas to reduce stressors.听
Agree on actions and ideas听
Set a date to review the impact of the actions implemented to support you.听

Whilst the meeting with your manager is informal, you can be accompanied by an HR colleague or Union representative, in which case, you should notify your manager in advance听听听

Step 4: Follow up听听

Purpose:听

Follow up on agreed actions and any outstanding actions that needed further research before they can be implemented听听听
Share your thoughts and ideas with the member of staff where alternative measures may be needed, if for example ideas of initial solutions are not possible听
Opportunity for member of staff to agree or disagree with these听
Agree further actions and implementation of changes needed听
Agree any necessary timeframes听

Can be done by phone/face to face or email 鈥� method to be agreed in initial stress risk assessment听听

Step 5: Meet with your manager to review the impact of actions implemented听听

Purpose:听

Review risk assessment from step 3听
Review any changes听
Review the impact of agreed support, training, or adjustments听
Assess whether further action is needed听

Stress risk assessment:听

Your stress risk assessment will be created by your manager on RiskNET听
You must be present when the stress risk assessment is being completed听
Your manager will send you a completed copy of the stress risk assessment, you must approve this and confirm whether you agree with what has been recorded听
You will be able to download this and keep it for your own records听
Your stress risk assessment will be marked confidential, this means that no one else, other than your manager can access it听

皇家华人