inside An employee can make a flexible working request and discrimination
law can also impact on requests by parents and carers to be flexible when they work. Each request should be dealt with on its own merits, taking into account the needs of the business. The ACAS guidance on flexible working and work life balance was published in 2015 and, while not creating legal obligations in itself, it contains helpful practical examples. Increasingly the use of technology can be used to support a flexible working environment.
Stress and mental health In 2016, mental health and stress cost Britain 10.4 million working days. Stress is one of the highest contributors to long-term sickness in the workplace. Organisations such as the Mental Health Foundation offer advice to both employers and employees on achieving a work life balance and managing the impact of stress in the workplace. Employers have legal duties under the Equality Act, Health and Safety at
‘Stress is
trained and supported to enable them to have constructive and sometimes difficult conversations. Without this, managers can inadvertently create employment law risks to the organisation, either by not having conversations and letting a problem fester or by approaching them in the wrong way. It also involves actively managing probationary periods with regular review sessions, feedback and support.
one of the highest contributors to long-term sickness in the workplace’
Work etc. to look after the mental health of their employees so, from a risk perspective, this is a business imperative. Employees also have a duty to look after their own health so part of the approach needs to be to ensure that processes are in place to facilitate that. Creating a positive working environment is multi-faceted but common elements include: • Regular evaluation/monitoring of policies using staff satisfaction surveys, sickness absence rates and Occupational Health referrals as indicators
• Access to support/counselling services • Close working, and the establishment of protocols, with local health providers
• Active promotion of activities such as lunchtime exercise or relaxation classes
• Better training for managers to spot the early symptoms of stress.
Work-life balance Many employees experience an increasingly demanding work culture and worry about how to achieve/ facilitate an acceptable work life balance. A long hours culture can quickly become the norm and the expectations of ready availability by email late in the evening and at weekends is also the norm for many.
The past year has brought many challenges for business and there are many more coming down the track, but it is important not to lose sight of the day to day issues that concern staff and those with managerial responsibilities. Successfully addressing these day-to-day issues will produce more resilient staff who are better able to embrace the changes and play their part in helping to deliver the institutional response.
Email:
gedwards@vwv.co.uk
FEATURES
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2017 insight 23
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