Newsflash - H&S stress management in schools

This CPD accredited course is aimed at school leaders or those with delegated responsibility for ensuring stress is effectively managed, and Health and Safety legal requirements are met.

17th November 2020 at 13.00 - 16.00

Our Stress Management eLearning course gives a broad understanding of how to manage work-related stress. We have now developed a three-hour instructor-led Stress Management course that refines and expands on the contents of the eLearning course and will provide managers with tools to manage work-related stress and meet legal requirements effectively.

Mental health issues have been on the rise for education sector workers for quite some time; COVID-19 has amplified and exacerbated stress, depression and anxiety in staff. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 schools have a general duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health of their employees at work. Employers also have a responsibility under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to undertake risk assessments that seek to identify and eliminate or reduce work-related stress. These statutory regimes supplement the ‘common law’ obligations on employers to provide reasonably safe working environments for their employees. Stress is a foreseeable risk that should be assessed and managed.

Studies into the extent of work-related stress in the UK have consistently found that school staff are among within the most stressed workers. If school staff have high levels of stress and anxiety, this will inevitably have a negative impact on themselves, as well as colleagues and students.

On completion of the Stress Management course delegates will be able to:

• Refine and expand their understanding of work-related stress;
• Identify and recognise the signs of stress;
• Identify and differentiate between common stressors and stressors that affect only some people;
• Complete a Stress Risk Assessment with other delegates so they can pool knowledge, ideas and share diverse perspectives;
• Identify the root causes of stress, implement effective strategies to manage stress, and work to create a positive and supportive work environment;
• Assess if the management of workplace stress in their organisations is adequate (at an individual and organisational level) and meets the management standards set by the Health and Safety Executive;
• Promote the benefits of suitably managing work-related stress.

Stress management in schools can help to improve and increase performance and employee’s wellbeing. Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, all of our courses are delivered live online. The training scheme is taught in workshop form in a relaxed environment.