SAFEDAY2016-Report_COVERS_EN-FR-ES_PRINT.pdf 1 10/03/2016 14:41:12 C M Y CM MY CY CMY WORKPLACE K STRESS LABOUR ADMINISTRATION, LABOUR INSPECTION AND OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH BRANCH LABADMIN/OSH A COLLECTIVE CHALLENGE Tel: +41 22 799 67 15 Fax: +41 22 799 68 78 ISBN: 978-92-2-130641-2 WORLD DAY FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK Email: [email protected] www.ilo.org/safeday 28 APRIL 2016 WORKPLACE STRESS: A collective challenge WORLD DAY FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK 28 APRIL 2016 Copyright © International Labour Organization 2016 First published 2016 Publications of the International Labour Office enjoy copyright under Protocol 2 of the Universal Copyright Convention. Nevertheless, short excerpts from them may be reproduced without authorization, on condition that the source is indicated. For rights of reproduction or translation, application should be made to ILO Publications (Rights and Licensing), International Labour Office, CH-1211 Geneva 22, Switzerland, or by email: [email protected]. The International Labour Office welcomes such applications. Libraries, institutions and other users registered with a reproduction rights organization may make copies in accordance with the licences issued to them for this purpose. Visit www.ifrro.org to find the reproduction rights organization in your country. Workplace stress: A collective challenge ISBN: 978-92-2-130641-2 (print) 978-92-2-130642-9 (web pdf) Also available in French: Stress au travail: un défi collectif, 978-92-2-230641-1 (print), 978-92-2-230642-8 (web pdf), Geneva, 2016; and in Spanish: Estrés en el trabajo: un reto colectivo, 978-92-2-330641-0 (print), 978-92-2-330642-7 (web pdf), Geneva, 2016. 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ILO publications and digital products can be obtained through major booksellers and digital distribution platforms, or ordered directly from [email protected]. For more information, visit our website: www.ilo.org/publns or contact [email protected]. Printed by the International Training Centre of the ILO, Turin – Italy TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................................... 2 1. WHAT IS WORK-RELATED STRESS? ..................................................................................................................... 2 THE CAUSES 2 THE PROTECTION OF MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK 4 2. WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF STRESS IN THE WORKING POPULATION? ................................................................. 5 THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROBLEM 5 IMPACT ON WORKERS HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING 6 PREVALENCE 7 THE GENDER DIMENSION 9 IMPACT ON PRODUCTIVITY AND ECONOMIC COSTS OF WORK-RELATED STRESS AND ASSOCIATED MENTAL HEALTH DISORDERS 9 3. WHAT IS THE EXISTING LEGAL FRAMEWORK ON WORK-RELATED STRESS AND MENTAL HEALTH AT WORK? ....................................................................................................................... 11 INTERNATIONAL LABOUR STANDARDS 11 REGIONAL STANDARDS 11 NATIONAL LEGISLATION 12 INCLUSION OF WORK-RELATED STRESS AND MENTAL DISORDERS IN NATIONAL LISTS OF OCCUPATIONAL DISEASES 14 NON-BINDING TECHNICAL STANDARDS ON PSYCHOSOCIAL RISKS PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT 14 SOCIAL PARTNERS’ AGREEMENTS 15 LABOUR INSPECTION 15 4. STRATEGIES FOR THE PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF PSYCHOSOCIAL HAZARDS AND RISKS .......... 17 INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS 17 REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS 18 NATIONAL STRATEGIES AND INITIATIVES 19 SOCIAL PARTNERS’ ENGAGEMENT 23 PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS’ AND NETWORKS’ CONTRIBUTION 25 5. GLOBAL TRENDS AND FORESIGHT OF FUTURE SCENARIOS ............................................................................ 26 EXPERT OPINION SURVEY 26 FORESIGHT OF FUTURE SCENARIOS 28 FINDINGS AND GLOBAL TRENDS 29 6. WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO HAVE A COLLECTIVE APPROACH TO PREVENTING AND CONTROLLING THE CAUSES OF WORK-RELATED STRESS? ..................................................................... 30 CONCLUDING REMARKS ............................................................................................................................................32 REFERENCES ..............................................................................................................................................................33 ANNEX 1. ASSESSMENT AND INTERVENTION TOOLS ............................................................................................. 36 ANNEX 2. GLOBAL TRENDS AND FORESIGHT OF FUTURE SCENARIOS ................................................................. 42 BIBLIOGRAPHY .......................................................................................................................................................... 49 1 INTRODUCTION 1. WHAT IS WORK-RELATED This report aims at presenting trends on work-related stress in both developed and developing countries with a view to raising awareness of the magnitude of the problem in the new context of STRESS? the world of work. To this end it provides an interregional overview of the prevalence and impact of work-related stress, and examines legislation, policies and interventions for its management at international, regional, national and workplace levels. Through a The term “stress” is used in numerous ways today, describing Delphi survey it further identifies and assesses future scenarios and everything from feeling ill in the morning to anxiety leading to contributing factors in this field. The results of this study will also depression. Among certain scientific groups, it has both negative be used in supporting ILO constituents to take action in this field at and positive connotations. Within the context of this report, stress national and enterprise levels. will only be considered as having a negative impact and will be dealt with in the framework of the workplace. Stress is not a health Focusing on the study of stress in the world of work has impairment, but is the first sign of a harmful physical and emotional increased since the 1990s, particularly on the impact of work- response. related stress on workers’ health and its management. There has been growing attention on the effects of psychosocial hazards The definition of stress and the terminology to refer to psychosocial and risks and work-related stress among researchers and hazards and risks has changed over the years. The term “stress” policymakers. Occupational safety and health (OSH) practice has was first used by Hans Selye in 1936 to define stress in biological expanded beyond its traditional scope to incorporate behavioural terms as “a non-specific response of the body to any demand of medicine, occupational health psychology and social wellbeing, change”.1 His research led to the study of stress in brain functions. thereby acknowledging people’s need to conduct a socially and He also defined “stressors” as events that trigger a physiological economically productive life. and psychological response from the organism, in order to distinguish stimulus from response.2 In this context a stressor can Today workers all over the world are facing significant changes be a biological agent, an environmental condition, an external in work organization and labour relations; they are under greater stimulus, or an event. Stress can define a negative condition or a pressure to meet the demands of modern working life. With the positive condition that responds to a stressor and that can have pace of work dictated by instant communications and high levels an impact on a person’s mental or physical health and wellbeing.I of global competition, the lines separating work from life are Today health is acknowledged as a combination of biological, becoming more and more difficult to identify. psychological (thoughts, emotions, and behaviour), and social Psychosocial hazards such as increased competition, higher (socio-economical, socio-environmental, and cultural) factors.3 expectations as regards performance and longer working hours For the ILO stress is the harmful physical and emotional response are all contributing to an ever more stressful working environment. caused by an imbalance between the perceived demands and the In addition, owing to the current economic recession that is perceived resources and abilities of individuals to cope with those augmenting the pace of organizational change and restructuring, demands. Work-related stress is determined by work organization, workers are increasingly experiencing precarious work, reduced work design and labour relations and occurs when the demands work opportunities, fear of losing their jobs, massive layoffs, of the job do not match or exceed