Stress at work
In October 2004, the European social partners signed a Framework agreement on work-related stress as an autonomous agreement. The objective of the agreement is to provide employers and workers with a framework to identify and prevent or manage problems of work-related stress. Stress is defined as:
a state, which is accompanied by physical, psychological or social complaints or dysfunctions and which results from individuals feeling unable to bridge a gap with the requirements or expectations placed on them.…Stress is not a disease but prolonged exposure to it may reduce effectiveness at work and may cause ill-health.
Work-related stress has been recognised as one of the main sources of work-related health problems. In the communication on the Community strategy on health and safety at work 2002-2006, the European Commission adopted a global approach to well-being at work, taking account of changes in the world of work and the emergence of new risks, particularly psychosocial ones.
The European Commission began to consult the European social partners on work-related stress in 2002. As there have been no legal provisions specifically aiming at work-related stress, action at Community level was seen as necessary to ensure a minimum level of protection for workers against work-related stress. In the consultation of the social partners on stress and its effects on health and safety at work, the European Commission refers to an estimated cost of at least ˆ20 billion each year, based on 1999 figures for the European countries. A first interim assessment took place at the meeting of the Social Dialogue Committee on 28 June 2006.
The European social partners ETUC-UNICE-CEEP/UEAPME took up negotiations on a framework agreement in response to European Commission’s consultation. The framework agreement on work-related stress shall be implemented autonomously by the European social partners and their affiliated organisations in accordance with the national procedures and practices specific to management and labour.
The European social partners framework agreement is based on the recognition that work-related stress can be caused by various factors such as work content, work organisation, work environment or poor communication. The objective of the agreement is to provide employers and workers with a framework to identify and prevent or manage problems of work-related stress. The agreement gives guidance as regards measures to prevent, eliminate or reduce problems of work-related stress.
In the case that a problem with work-related stress is identified or action must be taken to prevent, eliminate or reduce stress, the responsibility for determining the appropriate measures rests with the employer. Workers have a general duty to comply with measures determined by the employer.
The framework agreement is due to be implemented within three years. It entails a clause on the monitoring of the implementation of the agreement and providing of annual interim reports in the first three years and a full report in the fourth year.
See also: health and safety; overtime; risk assessment; working time; working conditions; framework agreements; working environment; autonomous agreement.