Stress. It’s a funny old thing. To some extent an amount of stress is a healthy, normal, positive thing. Unfortunately stress levels within Policing are sky high and its well known that each and every one of you operate at an unthinkable level. The problem with unmanageable stress is that it creeps up on you and before you realise, it’s probably too late.
Adam Bryan, Wellbeing Lead with the Derbyshire Federation is particularly concerned with the impact stress is having on personnel across the force and is leading a new initiative to gauge the situation. We hear from him below.
Heightened stress levels are exactly why the Constabulary have invested heavily in a top to toe organisational assessment which is being carried out independently by the HSE. This is a chance for us to make real change in our working environments.
The first phase of this is probably the most important, the only downside to this is that it is a survey.
We see surveys sent out regularly, and the response rate amongst operational officers is often low but this one is a real must. It’s coming out in March, and its vital that you take 5 to 10 minutes to answer it. As usual its anonymous, so don’t let the fear of being known worry you. It’s so important because the next steps of the assessment are guided by the survey results.
The next steps are where the really granular work begins. Focus groups and workshops are formed in the departments highlighted by the survey, to find out what the problem is, possible solutions and then recommendations are made to Chief Officer level management.
Please engage with the process from the outset. Individuals at management level please give your staff time to complete it, ten minutes to start a real positive change process. We need it.
This isn’t a tick box thing, it’s not a fed thing, it’s a you thing.
Keep an eye out this month for your invitation to take part in the survey and share the news with fellow officers, the more responses the assessment receives, the more the Federation can make a change in the way we all life and work.
