London Underground Stress Management

London Underground operates the tube system, as part of Transport for London; they have nearly 13,000 employees. Their Stress Plan was initially developed as a pro-active health initiative to focus on reducing the organisation’s stress-related losses. Not only has it achieved this aim, but has benefited their employees by providing a model of health intervention, including time management, optimum physical health – including diet and exercise, work/life balance, relaxation, relationships at work and at home and personal responsibility and decision making.

Processes

London Underground’s 2002/3 health report highlighted the organisation’s losses with regards to health and was used as a basis to secure five years funding for a proactive Health Plan to deliver business benefits in line with the organisation’s objectives, the Stress Plan forms part of the Health Plan.

The Stress Plan was developed in conjunction with a consultant (Emerald Jane Turner) and comprises a number of interventions, the foundations of which were the Stress Reduction Programme and the Managers Toolkit. They were designed to meet the needs of the organisation; to enable managers to better manage stress related absence; to provide a practical solution for getting employees off sick with stress back to work; and to to build employee resilience to protect against future absence.

The Stress Reduction Programme is based on cognitive behavioural therapy techniques and is designed to help participants understand the effects of stress and establish a healthier approach to work and life. It is often used as part of a graded return to work, offering managers practical help whilst supporting employees.

The Managers Toolkit comprises of managing stress guide (managers); managing stress guide (employees); advice cards on conducting back to work interviews, stress and risk areas; relaxation CD containing information and several relaxation exercises and a dedicated email address responding to any queries or requests for support.

Impact

• Already, the Stress Reduction Programme has resulted in absence reduction, savings of £455,000 – a return on investment of 8:1;
• Evidence of improved productivity and company culture;
• And evidence of individuals making positive changes in health and lifestyle.