Tuesday 17 October 2017

Managing anxiety in the workplace Advise from ACAS

Anxiety is a feeling of worry, fear, nervousness or unease about something.
It may be caused by issues in the workplace, such as workload, performance or conflict with colleagues. Outside the workplace, factors such as relationship, family or debt problems can create anxiety.
Employees could take steps to manage these issues, by communicating with their managers and seeking help, where necessary.
Employers can also support their staff and look out for signs that an employee is suffering from anxiety. These could include:
  • taking more time off work
  • becoming more emotional or over-reacting to what others say
  • feeling negative, dwelling on negative experiences
  • starting to behave differently, feeling restless and not being able to concentrate.
Mind report that 1 in 6 workers are dealing with mental health problems such as anxiety, depression or stress. These conditions can stop people performing at their best.

Managers should be confident and trained in the skills they need to support staff who may be experiencing anxiety at work. Informal and formal conversations will help establish a rapport with members of staff as addressing issues early and maintaining good communications is crucial.

Managers should:
  • have a conversation in a private place
  • make sure there are no interruptions
  • be focused, get the information that will help achieve the goal of supporting a member of staff
  • ask open questions, for example "I was wondering how you are doing"
  • always allow the person time to answer
  • try to put yourself in the others person's position and see things from their perspective
  • make arrangements for a follow up meeting to review the situation.

Anxiety disorders

Mental health problems can affect anyone, the most common forms of mental ill health are anxiety, depression, phobic anxiety disorders and obsessive compulsive disorders.

Depending on the kind of problems an employee is having they may be given a diagnosis of a specific anxiety disorder, such as:
  • generalised anxiety disorder - if someone has felt anxious for a long time and often feel fearful, but are not anxious about anything in particular they might be diagnosed with a generalised anxiety disorder
     
  • panic disorder - experiencing panic disorder can mean that someone feels constantly afraid of having another panic attack and can't identify what triggers them
     
  • obsessive-compulsive disorder - this may be due to anxiety which leads to someone experiencing obsessions such as unwelcome thoughts, urges or doubts that repeatedly appear in someone's mind. Compulsions such as repetitive activities that people have to do
     
  • phobias - a phobia is an intense fear of something, anxiety may be triggered by a very specific situation or object.
     
Some forms of mental ill health may be classed as a disability under the Equality Act 2010 if they have "a substantial and long term, adverse effect on a person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities". The Act makes it unlawful for an employer to treat a disabled person less favourably for a reason relating to their disability, without a justifiable reason. See our Disability discrimination page for more information. 




Thursday 12 October 2017



Acas have published a new guidance booklet on Promoting Positive Mental Health in the Workplace at http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=1900

They have also published two smaller online guides:-

• Dealing with Stress in the Workplace - http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=6062

• Managing Staff Experiencing Mental Ill Health - http://www.acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=6064

Other places that give good advice:
http://www.nhs.uk
https://www.mind.org.uk
https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk

Health and Safety week 23rd - 29th October
UNISON supports the campaign for safer and healthier work, so promotes the European Health and Safety Week and the UK National Inspection Day on the Wednesday of the Week.
This year’s theme remains  “Healthy workplaces for all ages” and good workplace design and well managed health and safety benefit all of those at work; whether young, old, or in-between.
Changes in life expectancy and pension provision means that more workers will stay at work as they age.  Apprenticeship schemes as an alternative to schooling may see more young people at work.
Employers must look after the health and safety of all employees; but particularly consider vulnerable groups such as older or younger workers, or women of child-bearing age.  Working for longer, and the fact that children now grow up with computers, may also result in longer exposure to risks (musculoskeletal or otherwise).
Older workers are more likely to suffer disabilities and long term health problems so measures such as rehabilitation and return to work will become more important.

Find out more on the UNISON webpage at 
https://goo.gl/K6JZUk 

UNISON benefits
A list of all benefits from travel and shopping with UNISON rewards to legal support can be found at https://benefits.unison.org.uk/all-benefits/
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Upcoming National Events

9th - 14th and 19th October - Support for our Libraries
http://www.librariesweek.org.uk/ and https://www.unison.org.uk/events/sos-day/

17th October - The big Pay Up Now lobby/rally in London
https://goo.gl/5HSHiQ

20th October - UNISON celebrates the journey of Black trade unionism
https://goo.gl/h8aEoS 

20th October - Wear Red Day (against racism)
http://www.theredcard.org/

23rd - 29th October - European Health and Safety week
https://goo.gl/K6JZUk

28th - 29th October - Disabled members' conference , Manchester
https://goo.gl/ZYmr3x

5th - 11th November - Living Wage Week
https://www.livingwage.org.uk/


Check out more national events on the Unison website

Thanks to our comrades at Oxford Brooks University 

Tuesday 10 October 2017

Oxfordshire credit union On the BBC

These series show how credit unions are transforming people lives.
Re: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b098w242/a-matter-of-life-and-debt-series-1-episode-1


For more info please contact us at info@oxfordshirecreditunion.co.uk


Walk the talk




Mental health in the workplace




Table tennis for all


To support staff health and wellbeing, Oxford City UNISON is sponsoring lunchtime table tennis in the Town Hall. Sessions run from 12.15 pm to 2 pm, and will take place in the Heritage Learning Centre or the Long Room on the following dates:
  • Friday 13 October
  • Friday 20 October
  • Wednesday 25 October
  • Friday 27 October.
Bats and balls are provided, so all you need to bring is your opponent. Leisure wear and training shoes are recommended but not essential.

If you are interested in evening sessions, coaching, inter-departmental matches, matches with other councils or an Oxford City Council championship - or if you have any other suggestions or questions - please contact David Browne.





Saturday 7 October 2017

LGPS pension update

If you need to talk to someone about yourLocal government pension, the administration is now conducted from:
Pension Services, Oxfordshire Pension Fund, 4640 Kingsgate, Cascade Way, Oxford Business Park South, Oxford OX4 2SU
Click to Contact Pensions Services or phone on: 03300 241 359

2024 Levellers' Day

  Oxford & District Trades Union Council has booked a coach from Oxford to Burford for Levellers' Day on Saturday, 18 May 2024.   We...