I'm just envious that you get to discuss it with your Director!

I have made an argument for why ISO 45003 should be adopted in an ISO 45001 certified organisation (so as to have a structured approach to well-being that addresses the actual issues instead of just offering an EAP) but have yet to get any further with this.

Please do post updates on how it goes.

The whole point of ISO 45003 is that you don't just deal with issues when they arise but take the same kind of preventative approach as you do for any other health and safety issue.  You don't wait for someone to be injured by work equipment before you provide suitable work equipment, and equally you shouldn't wait for someone to have a breakdown due to work pressure before you plan the work to keep the demands manageable.

The problem I have convincing my directors relates to the causes of stress. As far as they are concerned we are a very relaxed company. Deadlines are treated as "wishlists". Nobody is ever disciplined for missing targets. We allow extremely flexible working hours whenever possible. We allow great liberties to be taken, such as the use of phones, listening to personal music, extra breaks, using the internet etc. To be fair it is a very relaxed place for the most part.

The issue is that a lot of stress and mental health problems are brought in from outside the work, and we make no efforts to help in these situations. As far as the directors are concerned, it isn't work related, so it isn't their problem. I have explained the knock on effects, but they aren't interested. They are concerned that it is none of our business, and we don't want to exacerbate any issues by getting involved, thus removing any "blame" on them.

One of the side-effects of this point of view is that people who naturally have high standards of work suffer huge amounts of stress about seeing deadlines missed, despite this system being designed around that happening. They feel personally responsible for missing targets that they were never expected to hit, even though those targets never *have* to be hit. Furthermore they feel that other people are taking the proverbial, despite it being allowed. These people expect all people to work to the high standards they set for themselves, and get very stressed when this doesn't happen. The directors feel that these people need to lower their standards, as there is no reason not to, but some people just are not wired that way.

For this reason I would never get the ok to introduce any management standards, let alone one that has such a large focus on mental health. It is a strange way of working, but it does work. We are highly profitable for a small company, we retain our customers and gain new customers soley on "word of mouth", we don't pay particularly well but have high staff retention, and those that leave, more often than not, return within 12 months. Hell, even I tried to leave for a more "professional" role but was persuaded to stay.

For me the terminology leaves much to be desired. I am stressed. It makes me get up in the morning and get going. For me that is positive stress. Negative stress (I prefer the word 'strain') is when it all gets too much and can cause mental disturbance. Sometimes difficult to distinguish between the two of course - often just a matter of level and circumstances.

Chris, this is why HSE define stress as an adverse reaction to pressure.  Pressure is what makes you get up in the morning.  Stress is when the pressure causes you harm. 

Originally Posted by: Kate

Chris, this is why HSE define stress as an adverse reaction to pressure.  Pressure is what makes you get up in the morning.  Stress is when the pressure causes you harm. 

Or as I once heard someone say - "Pressure is what makes you get up in a morning. Stress is why you cannot get up"

Hi

I'm working with HR to implement ISO 45003 - does anyone have a gap analysis for this standard that they would be willing to share? Psychological risk is one of the biggest risks in our organisation and whilst we have some processes in place I know we have some work to do to manage the risk better (and more proactivelt rather than the reactive processes we have in place at the moment). I have experience of implementing ISO 14001 but I'm finding it difficult to get started with 45003!

Thanks

Christine