FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

10 Ways to Reduce Stress Related Problems in the Public Sector

September 10th, 2007

Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK

The public sector has never felt more under stress. It now has an 80% higher rate of sick days than the private sector.

70% of public sector human resource managers see stress as a major issue. It is particularly an issue in the health and social service fields where 97% of managers say stress is a problem.

Pro-active programmes and training are now seen as a significant part of the solution. Here are 10 activities that have already been used to successfully begin to reduce stress within the sector:

1. Conduct a stress risk assessment in consultation with staff at all levels in the organization, and develop a comprehensive action plan to tackle any problem areas.
2. When there is impending organizational change, consult with staff, and communicate the changes and the expected outcomes.
3. Train and coach new managers - Understand that new managers particularly need support in developing an effective style and in balancing the conflicting demands of their new responsibilities.
4. Ensure that all members of staff have regular one-to-one meetings with their line manager to discuss work expectations for themselves and their team.
5. Offer specialist communication skills training to all staff, as poor communication is the basis of most conflicts and misunderstandings.
6. Offer training in conflict management – Staff at all levels need the skills and confidence to deal with increasingly aggressive internal and external interactions.
7. Offer time management training to enable staff to deal effectively with increasing pressures and demands.
8. Offer career development planning to help staff plan for the future and understand where they fit in the organisation.
9. Offer flexible working hours to non-critical staff in order to promote and safe-guard a healthy work-life balance.
10. Use workplace wellness programmes to increase the energy and well-being of employees

This is where www.buyersguide.co.uk helps the UK public sector. There are dozens of companies offering stress management training and coaching listed on the Buyers Guide website.

Buyers Guide has been helping private companies get access to government contracts since 1996. With over 5,000 company listings on www.buyersguide.co.uk of specific products and services targeting public sector work, Buyers Guide is an easy solution for helping government buyers find qualified suppliers.

Companies listed on Buyers Guide range from multinationals to sole traders, but all have the goal of working on public sector contracts. These include working with schools, colleges, universities, local councils, ministry of defense, NHS, housing authorities, and government funded non-profit agencies.

The advantage that Buyers Guide offers is that the company “profile” on the www.buyersguide.co.uk website is written to specifically answer the pre-qualification questions from public sector buyers. This usually includes information like; previous work with other government bodies, years in business, industry qualifications or certifications like ISO 9002, testimonials from clients, government awards like investors in people, confirmation of equal opportunity employer status and specific contact details.

The Buyers Guide “profile” system allows government procurement specialists to quickly find companies that have government experience, the pre-qualification standards and a willingness to work with the public sector in one place saving time, effort and ultimately money.

Contact:

Buyers Guide
0191 260 5388
0191 221 2287
www.buyersguide.co.uk

Company History

Buyers Guide, based in Newcastle Upon Tyne, was established in 1996 and is the leading online directory of UK companies that are targeting the £600 billion in public spending each year. To date, there are over 5,000 company listings in 1,200 categories on the www.buyersguide.co.uk website.