workplace

3 Ways For Employers To Help Staff Deal With Stress

Posted on by Allison Caine

Workplace stress is a common problem and one which has the potential to increase the number of sickness-related absences in your workplace. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) says stress is the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other demands placed on them. In some work situations pressure can cause motivation, but excessive pressure has the potential to cause work-related stress.

According to the NHS website, psychological problems, including stress, anxiety and depression, are behind one in five GP visits.

Stress symptoms include:

  • palpitations
  • dry mouth
  • headaches
  • strange aches and pains
  • loss of appetite for food

Employees dealing with stress may be tempted towards unhealthy behaviour such as drinking, smoking or drug use and comfort eating. This has the potential to cause further health problems.

If you’re an employer, tackling stress in the workforce can decrease the number of staff sick days, boost productivity and increase morale. The HSE believes good management practices can help reduce work-related stress and provides management standards approach to help you take practical steps to minimise stress in the workplace. At OHBM we can help you implement these methods within your business.

As an employer, some of the things you can do to reduce employee stress levels include:

Promote activity

Does your workplace have a cycle to work scheme or 5-a-side football team your employees could get involved in? Do you offer reduced rates membership for local gyms? Exercise can help employees feel stronger physically and mentally, and enable them to deal with problems more calmly.

Avoid encouraging unhealthy habits

Does your workplace have a regular Friday night out in the local pub? While socialising is a great way to build relationships, you could encourage non-alcohol related activities instead. Bowling, a visit to a climbing wall, the cinema or the theatre are all enjoyable options that don’t revolve around alcohol.

Consider work-life balance

In the UK we work the longest hours in Europe. Lots of stressed employees could mean you’re expecting to much from them. Could you offer more flexible working hours, or at-home working arrangements to your team?

Talk to the team at OHBM to help you determine the best course of action to reduce stress in your workplace and boost the overall well-being of your team.

Workplace Drugs Testing And The Law [Video]

Posted on by Allison Caine

If you’re considering implementing workplace drugs testing, you need to be sure you’re up to speed on the legal implications of this task. While you do have a duty of protection and ensuring safety in the workplace, you can’t force a staff member to take a test.

At OHBM we can help guide you the drug testing process, whether this is something you’ve done before or you’re new to the process. Watch our video above for further information and contact the team today.

Workplace Drug-testing And The Law: Where Do You Stand?

Posted on by Allison Caine

As an employer it can be difficult to decipher the law on drug testing at work. In fact, in the UK the law if drugs-testing can be very unclear according to the TUC, because an individual can’t be charged simply because they have tested positive after a drugs test.

In the workplace however, employers have to abide by Health and Safety legislation. This means they have a duty of protection for safety in the workplace, according to the Health and Safety at Work Act. This piece of workplace law includes making sure staff members aren’t working under the influence of either drugs or alcohol.

When is drug-testing a necessity?

Workplace drugs testing is required in workplaces where the effects of drug and alcohol have the potential to cause safety risks. Employers have a legal responsibility to look after staff at work, as far as is reasonably possible.

When an employer decides to test for drugs they will need employees to agree to being tested. It should be restricted only to employees that need to be tested to mitigate risk. While it is illegal to force an individual to provide samples (including urine, hair, blood or saliva) for testing or any other purpose, refusal may be grounds for dismissal at work. This is the case only where the staff member has a contractual obligation to do so.

OHBM drug screening services

At OHBM we provide professional drug-testing services and can help you navigate the legislation associated with screening. Our services include support with writing your own policy, drug and alcohol testing, and a 24-hour call-out drug-testing service within two hours.

We can also provide after-care services such as fast-track to specialist drug and alcohol rehabilitation.

For further information talk to our team. Whether you need a testing service imminently or are concerned about how to deal with a potential problem we’re more than happy to help.