Retention Charter action 2.1

Action 2.1: Develop and embed an organisational culture focused on understanding and minimising causes of work-related stress.

Action 2.1 is part of Domain 2 of the RCPsych's Retention Charter for employers - which relates to supporting psychiatrists' mental and physical health.

What stage is your organisation at?

Use this maturity matrix to assess what stage your organisation is at, in terms of Action 2.1. 

  • The organisation sends a strong message that managing workplace stress is a systemic issue rather than for individuals alone, and has policies aimed at supporting the identification, assessment, and management of workplace stressors.
  • Circumstances and factors leading to work-related stress are routinely identified from various data sources, such as the NHS staff survey and local feedback initiatives.
  • Workplace stressors are discussed during regular team meetings, and managers display commitment to improving/reducing these in line with staff views.
  • Sufficient work and rest facilities are available for Psychiatrists, including access to appropriate offices, parking, canteen/s, information technology, on-call rest facilities, and equipment (this is not an exhaustive list)

  • Out of a wide range of potential causes of work-related stress, the organisation is able to identify factors affecting most staff and/or having the largest detrimental impacts and these are prioritised for systemic action with improvement plans in place.
  • Staff workload is routinely monitored, and proactive measures are in place to avoid overwhelming staff including ensuring sufficient staffing and supporting staff to raise quality and safety concerns about work intensity.
  • The organisation demonstrates a collaborative and sensitive approach to change management to reduce the stress associated with organisational change.
  • Positive relationships between colleagues are actively promoted by the organisation, which act as a buffer against work-related stress.

  • Employee feedback demonstrates that staff feel their views and concerns are routinely listened to and acted upon to reduce work-related stress.
  • Psychiatrists are actively involved in co-producing interventions and system-wide changes to reduce workrelated stress.
  • Sickness data is analysed for trends such as high sickness absence in particular teams, locations, subspecialties or amongst particular staff groups to prompt investigation and resolution of issues affecting these specific areas/employees (e.g. exploring high risk of fatigue/burnout in specific teams).
  • Positive stories of psychiatrists who have experienced workplace stress and recovered with the right support from the organisation, and continued to thrive, are actively promoted.

Advice and recommendations

  • Collate information on factors associated with workplace stress through various means such as staff surveys, team meetings, and focus groups. Work with HR and occupational health departments to identify data trends, such as high rates of sickness absence in particular departments, and design and implement targeted solutions to address priority areas.
  • Consider implementation of ‘you said we did’ initiatives or similar to demonstrate how Psychiatrists’ concerns about workplace stressors are being acted upon.
  • Include dedicated time for discussion of staff wellbeing and identifying and addressing factors leading to workplace stress in team meetings.
  • Organise regular team training, team building events, and foster peer networks to strengthen collegiate relationships, enhancing peer support for managing stress. 
  • Encourage psychiatrists and other health professionals to complete quality improvement projects and join staff wellbeing groups/projects focused on minimising workplace stress.
  • Ensure that psychiatrists are consulted about organisational changes and able to influence decision making, that information about change is communicated in a timely manner, that psychiatrists are aware of timeframes for any changes and how these will impact their working patterns/roles and provide access to appropriate support as they adjust to new ways of working.
  • Review staffing levels and rotas, ensuring sufficient numbers of psychiatrists to adequately meet demands on the service without overwhelming individuals and considering annual leave, study leave, and other leave. Mitigation strategies should be in place if the required staffing numbers cannot be achieved immediately.
  • Conduct and regularly update risk assessments to identify workplace hazards including psychosocial hazards.
  • Ensure that there is sufficient office space, parking, rest facilities, and personal IT equipment for all Psychiatrists working in the organisation. Work collaboratively with their elected medical leaders to improve these facilities and working conditions for psychiatrists.
  • Support psychiatrists to raise issues relating to missed breaks or staying late at work through formal mechanisms such as exception reports or other monitoring systems, with provisions available for time-in-lieu or additional payment.

Links and resources

Examples of good practice

Health Education England have a range of examples of good practice relevant to understanding and minimising the causes of stress, including a stress and resilience framework.