Good Work Good Health

THE AIM OF THE PROJECT

The aim of the Good Work Good Health project was to examine mental wellbeing in the telecommunications industry in Europe. This was done through a process including a systematic review of secondary research of workplace factors that impact on mental wellbeing and interviews with telecommunications companies to identify good practice occurring.

THE SYSTEMATIC EVIDENCE REVIEW

The systematic evidence review was set-up by developing a search strategy that addressed the following questions

• What work factors are associated with impaired mental wellbeing?
• What work factors are associated with enhanced mental wellbeing?
• What work arrangements can mitigate or facilitate return to work for individuals who have poor mental wellbeing.

The searches were carried out on 17 electronic databases and 35 websites. On completion of the searches the publications were screened against inclusion criteria; where papers were included, these were reviewed, data were extracted and evidence collated into rated evidence statements. In total 39 publications were included in the review from a total of 149 found. The quality of the evidence was rated using the star system (*** strong evidence, ** moderate evidence, * limited evidence and – no evidence).

Work factors associated with impaired mental wellbeing
A number of factors associated with impaired mental wellbeing were identified. There was strong evidence for task factors including high demands, low decision latitude, lack of social support from peers and managers and low levels of control over work. Lower
levels of job satisfaction were associated with increased burnout, lower self-esteem,
increased depression and anxiety and long term sickness absence. Long term sickness absence was found to be associated with high demand jobs, lack of skill discretion, lack of manager support and a perception of not being welcomed back to work. A lack of perceived organisational justice was found to be linked to poor mental wellbeing and depression.

Moderate evidence was identified for an association between mental wellbeing and high emotional demands, having an undervalued social position, monotony, skill underutilisation and poor communication.

Limited evidence was identified for the impact of role conflict and ambiguity, career stagnation, home/work conflict, tight deadlines, poor management style and remote or home working with mental wellbeing.

Work factors associated with enhanced mental wellbeing
In relation to improving mental wellbeing at work a number of factors were identified. There was strong evidence of the positive impact that a summer vacation has on mental wellbeing; this is thought to last for between 2 and 4 weeks. Moderate evidence was identified in relation to increasing job control, improving task design,

ensuring employees can cope, good work relationships, clear roles, participation and engagement during organisational change and having a participatory approach. In relation to workplace interventions, longer multi-modal interventions that include support, social and coping skills training are likely to be beneficial. The use of a compressed working week was also found to improve health and wellbeing.

There was limited evidence found in relation to flexible working, improving job satisfaction and valuing the workforce in relation to mental wellbeing. However, the evidence did suggest that managers and supervisors are essential in supporting employees but often have a lack of confidence in how to do this.

Work factors that mitigate or facilitate return to work for individuals with poor mental wellbeing
There was little research identified in relation to return to work but a number of factors were identified that have the potential to be positive in relation to this. These include a phased return to work, psychological rehabilitation, maintaining regular contact with the employee, finding out what caused the problem and identifying any potential workplace
adjustments.

Evidence Gaps
A number of evidence gaps were highlighted by the review including a lack of high quality primary research and interventional research in relation to workplace factors
that impact on mental wellbeing. There was also a lack of quantification or evaluation
of the impacts of workplace interventions and little evidence-based guidance available.

Development of the template
On completion of the systematic review, a template of questions was developed for use as a semi-structured interview in the second phase of the project. The aim of the
template was to allow information to be collected in a systematic way through a series
of interviews to aid in the identification of good practice within the telecommunications industry.

INTERVIEWS WITH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES

Interviews were set up with 8 telecommunications companies across Europe. The companies were representative of different sizes and different European regions. The companies were asked to allow interviews with individuals in the company responsible for mental wellbeing. Interviews were also carried out with Trade Unions and other employee representatives from each company. It was identified that companies are at different stages in developing assessment tools and interventions for mental wellbeing but good practice could be identified. A summary of this is presented below.

Measurement of Mental Wellbeing

• Mental wellbeing assessed by examination, risk assessment and or questionnaire survey.
• Assessment tools developed based on recognised models of workplace stress including demands and control at work.
• Where mental wellbeing is not at an optimum, these areas are the focus for intervention, for example, call centre workers or field engineers.
• Induction processes had been put in place for new employees in relation to their role, training, how and where to access support.

• If individuals feel they have role conflicts, role ambiguity, poor work-life balance, too tight deadlines or underutilisation procedures are in place to help including first contact with the line manager followed by support from human resources and the trade unions.
• Contact was maintained with individuals working outside the office
• Procedures were in place for any incidents of bullying, mobbing, violence or aggression against employees
• Discrimination was not acceptable at any level and procedures are in place to deal with such incidents.

Organisational Interventions for Mental Wellbeing

• The use of risk assessment or toolkits to evaluate the impact of change management
• Promotional campaigns on mental wellbeing across the company
• Use of the intranet, company newsletters to advertise initiatives
• The involvement of all stakeholders in the development of organisational interventions including human resources, health and safety, trade unions and employee representatives
• Encouraging people to increase levels of physical activity
• Evaluation of levels of engagement within the workforce at all levels
• Access to senior management

Person-directed Interventions

• A reporting system in place for individuals who are having problems that is accessible and used by employees
• Immediate access to help and support
• Help and support available whether the source of the problem was at work or at home
• Recognition of good work through either bonus systems or advertising of an individual or team achievement
• Having a code of conduct for individuals at work to that encompasses the values of the company

Return to Work after Sickness Absence

• Contact being made as soon as possible between the company and the employee
• Having a management system in place for individuals who take frequent short- term sickness absence
• For long term absence maintaining contact with the individual for the duration of the illness (where local legislation allows this)
• Offering continued support to individuals on return to work after long term absence
• Allowing time for individuals to come back to full capacity or using a graduated return to work.

Working Time

• Where possible allowing flexible working practices
• Monitoring levels of overtime and ensuring this is not excessive
• Having annual leave and ensuring employees take leave
• Where individuals become ill on annual leave, recording this as sick leave not annual leave
• Having rest breaks built into the working day and ensuring breaks are taken

Organisational Justice

• Clear and transparent recruitment processes agreed by all stakeholders
• Clear and transparent promotion processes agreed by all stakeholders
• The use of talent management programmes to improve retention and development of employees
• Clear appraisal processes which allow training needs to be identified and goals to be set for the individual employee; with an opportunity for appeal
• The use of job descriptions and job families to allow role clarity
• Consulting with employees to evaluate decision making and having routes to bring any complaints such as local human resources
• Dealing with employees with respect and fairness
• Having a communications strategy including both electronic and paper based
• Ensuring a top down approach for communications that comes down to every employee
• The use of mediation where it is perceived the wrong decisions have been made

Managers and Supervisors

• Employing managers who have both business skills and people skills
• Training managers to identify poor identify poor mental health within their teams
• Giving professional support to managers when dealing with team members with poor mental wellbeing

Training and New Technology

• Having access to training for all employees
• Ensuring line managers encourage and are not a block to training opportunities
• Identifying training needs for all levels of employees
• Access to specific training for different groups
• Ensuring adequate training and support for new product launches.

Conclusions
Evidence of good practice is available from the companies interviewed but different companies are at different stages in implementing procedures to evaluate and improve
mental wellbeing. At the current time there was limited evaluation of the impact of
interventions within the companies interviewed and this should be a focus for the future in these organisations.THE AIM OF THE PROJECT

The aim of the Good Work Good Health project was to examine mental wellbeing in the telecommunications industry in Europe. This was done through a process including a systematic review of secondary research of workplace factors that impact on mental wellbeing and interviews with telecommunications companies to identify good practice occurring.

THE SYSTEMATIC EVIDENCE REVIEW

The systematic evidence review was set-up by developing a search strategy that addressed the following questions

• What work factors are associated with impaired mental wellbeing?
• What work factors are associated with enhanced mental wellbeing?
• What work arrangements can mitigate or facilitate return to work for individuals who have poor mental wellbeing.

The searches were carried out on 17 electronic databases and 35 websites. On completion of the searches the publications were screened against inclusion criteria; where papers were included, these were reviewed, data were extracted and evidence collated into rated evidence statements. In total 39 publications were included in the review from a total of 149 found. The quality of the evidence was rated using the star system (*** strong evidence, ** moderate evidence, * limited evidence and – no evidence).

Work factors associated with impaired mental wellbeing
A number of factors associated with impaired mental wellbeing were identified. There was strong evidence for task factors including high demands, low decision latitude, lack of social support from peers and managers and low levels of control over work. Lower
levels of job satisfaction were associated with increased burnout, lower self-esteem,
increased depression and anxiety and long term sickness absence. Long term sickness absence was found to be associated with high demand jobs, lack of skill discretion, lack of manager support and a perception of not being welcomed back to work. A lack of perceived organisational justice was found to be linked to poor mental wellbeing and depression.

Moderate evidence was identified for an association between mental wellbeing and high emotional demands, having an undervalued social position, monotony, skill underutilisation and poor communication.

Limited evidence was identified for the impact of role conflict and ambiguity, career stagnation, home/work conflict, tight deadlines, poor management style and remote or home working with mental wellbeing.

Work factors associated with enhanced mental wellbeing
In relation to improving mental wellbeing at work a number of factors were identified. There was strong evidence of the positive impact that a summer vacation has on mental wellbeing; this is thought to last for between 2 and 4 weeks. Moderate evidence was identified in relation to increasing job control, improving task design,

ensuring employees can cope, good work relationships, clear roles, participation and engagement during organisational change and having a participatory approach. In relation to workplace interventions, longer multi-modal interventions that include support, social and coping skills training are likely to be beneficial. The use of a compressed working week was also found to improve health and wellbeing.

There was limited evidence found in relation to flexible working, improving job satisfaction and valuing the workforce in relation to mental wellbeing. However, the evidence did suggest that managers and supervisors are essential in supporting employees but often have a lack of confidence in how to do this.

Work factors that mitigate or facilitate return to work for individuals with poor mental wellbeing
There was little research identified in relation to return to work but a number of factors were identified that have the potential to be positive in relation to this. These include a phased return to work, psychological rehabilitation, maintaining regular contact with the employee, finding out what caused the problem and identifying any potential workplace
adjustments.

Evidence Gaps
A number of evidence gaps were highlighted by the review including a lack of high quality primary research and interventional research in relation to workplace factors
that impact on mental wellbeing. There was also a lack of quantification or evaluation
of the impacts of workplace interventions and little evidence-based guidance available.

Development of the template
On completion of the systematic review, a template of questions was developed for use as a semi-structured interview in the second phase of the project. The aim of the
template was to allow information to be collected in a systematic way through a series
of interviews to aid in the identification of good practice within the telecommunications industry.

INTERVIEWS WITH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES

Interviews were set up with 8 telecommunications companies across Europe. The companies were representative of different sizes and different European regions. The companies were asked to allow interviews with individuals in the company responsible for mental wellbeing. Interviews were also carried out with Trade Unions and other employee representatives from each company. It was identified that companies are at different stages in developing assessment tools and interventions for mental wellbeing but good practice could be identified. A summary of this is presented below.

Measurement of Mental Wellbeing

• Mental wellbeing assessed by examination, risk assessment and or questionnaire survey.
• Assessment tools developed based on recognised models of workplace stress including demands and control at work.
• Where mental wellbeing is not at an optimum, these areas are the focus for intervention, for example, call centre workers or field engineers.
• Induction processes had been put in place for new employees in relation to their role, training, how and where to access support.

• If individuals feel they have role conflicts, role ambiguity, poor work-life balance, too tight deadlines or underutilisation procedures are in place to help including first contact with the line manager followed by support from human resources and the trade unions.
• Contact was maintained with individuals working outside the office
• Procedures were in place for any incidents of bullying, mobbing, violence or aggression against employees
• Discrimination was not acceptable at any level and procedures are in place to deal with such incidents.

Organisational Interventions for Mental Wellbeing

• The use of risk assessment or toolkits to evaluate the impact of change management
• Promotional campaigns on mental wellbeing across the company
• Use of the intranet, company newsletters to advertise initiatives
• The involvement of all stakeholders in the development of organisational interventions including human resources, health and safety, trade unions and employee representatives
• Encouraging people to increase levels of physical activity
• Evaluation of levels of engagement within the workforce at all levels
• Access to senior management

Person-directed Interventions

• A reporting system in place for individuals who are having problems that is accessible and used by employees
• Immediate access to help and support
• Help and support available whether the source of the problem was at work or at home
• Recognition of good work through either bonus systems or advertising of an individual or team achievement
• Having a code of conduct for individuals at work to that encompasses the values of the company

Return to Work after Sickness Absence

• Contact being made as soon as possible between the company and the employee
• Having a management system in place for individuals who take frequent short- term sickness absence
• For long term absence maintaining contact with the individual for the duration of the illness (where local legislation allows this)
• Offering continued support to individuals on return to work after long term absence
• Allowing time for individuals to come back to full capacity or using a graduated return to work.

Working Time

• Where possible allowing flexible working practices
• Monitoring levels of overtime and ensuring this is not excessive
• Having annual leave and ensuring employees take leave
• Where individuals become ill on annual leave, recording this as sick leave not annual leave
• Having rest breaks built into the working day and ensuring breaks are taken

Organisational Justice

• Clear and transparent recruitment processes agreed by all stakeholders
• Clear and transparent promotion processes agreed by all stakeholders
• The use of talent management programmes to improve retention and development of employees
• Clear appraisal processes which allow training needs to be identified and goals to be set for the individual employee; with an opportunity for appeal
• The use of job descriptions and job families to allow role clarity
• Consulting with employees to evaluate decision making and having routes to bring any complaints such as local human resources
• Dealing with employees with respect and fairness
• Having a communications strategy including both electronic and paper based
• Ensuring a top down approach for communications that comes down to every employee
• The use of mediation where it is perceived the wrong decisions have been made

Managers and Supervisors

• Employing managers who have both business skills and people skills
• Training managers to identify poor identify poor mental health within their teams
• Giving professional support to managers when dealing with team members with poor mental wellbeing

Training and New Technology

• Having access to training for all employees
• Ensuring line managers encourage and are not a block to training opportunities
• Identifying training needs for all levels of employees
• Access to specific training for different groups
• Ensuring adequate training and support for new product launches.

Conclusions
Evidence of good practice is available from the companies interviewed but different companies are at different stages in implementing procedures to evaluate and improve
mental wellbeing. At the current time there was limited evaluation of the impact of
interventions within the companies interviewed and this should be a focus for the future in these organisations.