Beacons of Excellence in Stress Prevention

NoThis report describes the work of Robertson Cooper Ltd and UMIST to identify good practice in stress prevention and then identify organisations within the UK that could be called beacons of excellence in comparison to this model. Part one of this report summarises and draws conclusions from all of the substantive academic studies on stress prevention over the last decade and uses this information, as well as advice gained from a panel of international experts, to develop a comprehensive stress prevention model. Part two of the report uses this model to describe examples of stress prevention practices that Robertson Cooper Ltd has identified within a wide range of UK organisations. Case studies are presented for each aspect of the good practice model. Examples of real documentation and organisational practice are presented.Health and Safety Executive (HSE

Destructive Interpersonal Conflict in the Workplace: The Effectiveness of Management interventions

NoThis report, by Helge Hoel and Sabir I Giga of the University of Manchester Business School, with contributions from Brian Faragher, can be accessed here. The research has resulted in the successful completion of the first academic anti-bullying intervention study, comparing the effectiveness of interventions across different organisational contexts and involving the implementation of a complex design in order to apply scientific rigour. Phase 1 established for the first time the apparent scale of bullying at work, and the sectors in which it appears to be most prevalent. Research evidence obtained from this work was input to phase 2 which was completed in 2006 and was designed to Establish a risk assessment tool kit for assessing the risk of bullying in organisations Identify the interventions most likely to be effective in given situations Although the study was unable to establish beyond doubt the efficacy of a particular intervention, there is evidence to suggest that theoretically sound, well planned and aptly delivered interventions can make a difference, particularly when sufficient time is allocated and the proportion of staff being trained is significant enough to have an impact upon behaviour. A conference to launch the findings of this research took place in November 2006. It attracted substantial media attention. The application of these tools in organisations where bullying does occur had the capability to substantially improve morale and staff retention, and to reduce risk of claims for compensation or at employment tribunals

The development of psychosocial capital in organizations:Implications for work and family life

In this chapter we discuss the theoretical underpinnings of employee psychological contracts and the impact of change on the implied employment relationship, with particular reference to individual employee expectations of the need to strike a healthier balance between employment commitments and their home lives. The concept of psychological contracts has gained a greater relevance as the relationship that individuals have with their organization changes ever rapidly. Closer examination of psychological contracts at any given moment in time may reveal how employees perceive changes and what issues they value highly. It is a framework around which we can develop strategy as well as gain an insight into other relevant subjects concerning employees, such as expectations of job security, career development, pay, and issues relating to the impact of their work on the quality of their home lives

Expectations and realities of Student Nurses' Experiences of negative Behaviour and Bullying in Clinical Placement and the Influences of Socialisation Processes.

NoThis paper explores nursing students' experiences and perceptions of negative behaviour and bullying in clinical placement measured against expectations at the start of their education. It explores their understanding and how they make sense of their circumstances and their experiences of negative behaviour, emphasizing socialization processes and factors which may prevent or reproduce negative behaviour and bullying. To this end, a focus group study was conducted, and this revealed that many students felt exploited, ignored or were made to feel unwelcome, although few reported personal experience of bullying. These frequent but less severe negative experiences appear to play a key role in institutionalizing an unwelcoming culture within which bullying could easily be triggered or take hold. Students' coping mechanisms may also contribute to reproducing such negative behaviour. The paper concludes that while the vulnerable position of student nurses might offer some protection against outright bullying, it is unable to shield them from unfriendly and negative behaviour, with implications for their learning and professional socialization. If student nurses respond to their experiences by suppressing their feelings and developing a hard front, such responses may themselves contribute to a reproduction of such behaviour with implications for personal wellbeing and retention rates

The Costs of Workplace Bullying: A Report and Review for the Dignity at Work Partnership

YesThis report presents the findings of a research study carried out within the remit of the Dignity at Work Partnership Project with an aim of developing the business case for confronting workplace bullying, and simultaneously identifying the implications for individuals, organisations and society in general.Unite the Union and the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Refor

Employee wellbeing, control and organizational commitment

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the role of work locus of control (WLOC) as a moderator of the relationship between employee wellbeing and organizational commitment. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reports on a quantitative study of middle level executives from motor‐cycle manufacturing organizations based in Northern India. The focus of the paper is to examine the predictive ability of wellbeing and the moderating effect of WLOC in predicting organizational commitment. Findings – The results suggest that wellbeing is negatively related to conditional continuance commitment, whereby employees consider the advantages associated with continued participation and costs associated with leaving, and normative commitment, whereby employees feel they have moral obligations to remain with the organization. The presence of an external WLOC has a positive impact on the relationship. Wellbeing, as represented by a hassle‐free existence, predicts positive affective commitment with a particular organization, and internal WLOC as represented by effort influences the relationship negatively. Research limitations/implications – Although a cross‐sectional study, its findings have implications for contemporary leadership and organizational psychology research and practice, particularly with regard to understanding of employee commitment in a progressively changing environment. Originality/value – Studies examining the role of WLOC as a moderator of the relationship between wellbeing and organizational commitment are limited particularly in the context of post‐liberalization, as is the case with the manufacturing industry in India

A Review of organisational Stress Management Interventions

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