Managing Stress Absence:
Research, Information Resources and Links
Managing stress absence, especially long-term stress-related absence is key to minimizing organizational costs and promoting employee wellbeing and resilience.
Especially in the current climate, it isn't always possible to prevent stress. Inevitably, some people develop stress-related illness that can lead to long-term problems such as anxiety and depression. Statistically, stress is now the number one cause of long-term absence in the UK, both for manual and non-manual workers. However, a lot of evidence points to the fact that we don't manage this stress-related absence well and that makes things a lot worse for employers and employees.
Long-term stress-related absence is hugely costly for employers and the economy as whole. Please check out the stress costs tool on our Wellbeing Tools page to work how just how much it's costing your organization. It's also bad for the mental and physical well-being of employees. No surprise then that it's a hot issue politically.
Recently (Nov 2011) Dame Carol Black completed what will certainly become a highly influential report, Health at work – an independent review of sickness absence. This can be downloaded below. Probably the most radical proposal is the recommendation that GPs should no longer be responsible for certifying long-term absence and a new, independent assessment service (IAS) set up instead. There is also an interesting proposal for a job-brokering service for people who because of work-related stress can't return to the same job role.
Especially in the current climate, it isn't always possible to prevent stress. Inevitably, some people develop stress-related illness that can lead to long-term problems such as anxiety and depression. Statistically, stress is now the number one cause of long-term absence in the UK, both for manual and non-manual workers. However, a lot of evidence points to the fact that we don't manage this stress-related absence well and that makes things a lot worse for employers and employees.
Long-term stress-related absence is hugely costly for employers and the economy as whole. Please check out the stress costs tool on our Wellbeing Tools page to work how just how much it's costing your organization. It's also bad for the mental and physical well-being of employees. No surprise then that it's a hot issue politically.
Recently (Nov 2011) Dame Carol Black completed what will certainly become a highly influential report, Health at work – an independent review of sickness absence. This can be downloaded below. Probably the most radical proposal is the recommendation that GPs should no longer be responsible for certifying long-term absence and a new, independent assessment service (IAS) set up instead. There is also an interesting proposal for a job-brokering service for people who because of work-related stress can't return to the same job role.
| health-at-work.pdf |
Manager Behaviour and Long-term Absence
With stress levels at work increasing , long-term absence has become an growing challenge for line managers to manage. The competencies (skills and behaviours) of line managers play a hugely important role in managing these problems. This page provides some information resources and links with regard to management competencies for managing long-term absence.
Our colleague, Emma Donaldson-Feilder of Affinity Health at Work and her colleagues at Goldsmiths, University of London and Loughborough University, recently completed a research project that led to the development of a Competency Framework for Managers to Support Return to Work. This research was sponsored by the British Occupational Health Research Foundation (BOHRF) and supported by CIPD. A Guidance document and the full Research Report can both be downloaded below. Further down this page, you'll find a number of useful links to further information and support on this important topic.
If you are interesting in training around these absence management competencies, please contact us using our contact form or via the contact details at the foot of this page.
The file below contains guidance and summarizes the research...
With stress levels at work increasing , long-term absence has become an growing challenge for line managers to manage. The competencies (skills and behaviours) of line managers play a hugely important role in managing these problems. This page provides some information resources and links with regard to management competencies for managing long-term absence.
Our colleague, Emma Donaldson-Feilder of Affinity Health at Work and her colleagues at Goldsmiths, University of London and Loughborough University, recently completed a research project that led to the development of a Competency Framework for Managers to Support Return to Work. This research was sponsored by the British Occupational Health Research Foundation (BOHRF) and supported by CIPD. A Guidance document and the full Research Report can both be downloaded below. Further down this page, you'll find a number of useful links to further information and support on this important topic.
If you are interesting in training around these absence management competencies, please contact us using our contact form or via the contact details at the foot of this page.
The file below contains guidance and summarizes the research...
| managing_absence_return_to_work_guide.pdf |
The file below is the full research report...
| managing_rehabilitation-final_report.pdf |
Managing long-term absence: useful links
The links below provide access to a wide range of valuable absence management guidance, information and resources:
NICE guidance on long term sickness absence
A free Occupational Health Advice line for small businesses including advice on fit notes
A free service to help keep employees at work or to return to work
Guidelines on return to work after operations from Royal College of Surgeons
A new single site for all things related to return to work
Fit note guidance
For information on Stress Management Competencies, please see this page, which provides several links to other information and resources.
The links below provide access to a wide range of valuable absence management guidance, information and resources:
NICE guidance on long term sickness absence
A free Occupational Health Advice line for small businesses including advice on fit notes
A free service to help keep employees at work or to return to work
Guidelines on return to work after operations from Royal College of Surgeons
A new single site for all things related to return to work
Fit note guidance
For information on Stress Management Competencies, please see this page, which provides several links to other information and resources.