Lessons from the HSE Stress Management Pilot
IES examined, for the Health & Safety Executive, progress made by employers in six key sectors with regard to their participation in the HSE’s Stress Management Pilot. The Stress Management Pilot was initiated in June 2005 and involved organisations that were willing to carry out a range of initiatives aimed at reducing the impact of workplace stress. These included work with ACAS and the use of an HSE-developed indicator and analysis tool to measure changes over time, as well as adherence to the HSE stress management standards. The Management Standards represent the central plank in the HSE strategy to meet its targets on stress reduction. They reflect the use of a 'guidance' rather than a regulatory approach, and are meant to represent best practice for UK employers. The IES evaluation involved in-depth case studies with organisations (including staff and management), analysis of stress management policies, and interviews with HSE and Acas stress partners.