Fair Change

Sarah Page

Research & Specialist Services

changing world of work

Table: Altered psychological contract

Old contract New contract

“Job for life” Change

Predictability Uncertainty

Standard work patterns Flexible working time

Valuing loyalty Valuing performance & skills

Paternalism Self-reliance

Linear career growth Multiple careers

One-time learning Life-long learning

recession

cuts

job reapplication

redundancy

long hours

work, health & success

• work can be good or bad for health

• technology can be good or bad for health

• human & economic cost of ill health

• impact on business (regardless of cause)

• can good practice become the norm?

your rights?

• work without risks to health & safety - so

far as reasonably practicable

• risks assessed with your involvement

• risk controls identified

• consulted

your rights in practice

exercise

Union EffectUnion Effect

“workplaces where workers are

involved in decisions about

health and safety are safersafer and

healthier healthier workplaces”

Reduction in harm

50%50%

Building influence through organising

High

Paternalism

Collusion Influence

Engagement

Irrelevance Reactivity

Low High

Union organisation

mental health hazards

Demands: volume, pace, intensity

Control: workflow, method

Support: manager, colleagues, Unions

Relationships: bullying, harassment

Role: lack of clarity, isolation

Change: poor management/engagement

Justice: inconsistencies, unclear appeal process

individual interventions

• healthy lifestyle

• increase personal resilience

• sensible work / life balance

all rely as much on the organisation as the individual

organisation interventions

• job design: ergonomics, flexible working

• culture: values, fairness, what’s acceptable

• change management: plan, impact assess, trial

• justice: governance, compliance, TUs

mitigating stress

1. Primary Prevention

management competencies, risk assessment & flexible

employment

2. Secondary Intervention

distress recognition, stress audits & confidential advice

services

3. Tertiary Rehabilitation

mental health training, OH assessment & RTW

change may be unavoidable

• 70% of change projects fail

• Managers have a right to manage

• Employees have a right to good management

• Note about

• So whilst change may be unavoidable…

…… its planning and implementation are not

poorly

managed

change is not!

Thank

you

Promoting Fair Change