By the time you have completed the Action Plan Stage you should have performed the following:
- Review your 'action plan' list
- Prioritise your 'action plan’ list and create actions
- Communicate your survey results and proposed actions
Review your 'to-do' list
Your 'to-do' list will contain guidance and supports for the questions which require action from you as Manager.
The report findings should be discussed with your staff in order;
- to provide them with an understanding of the results/potential areas of risk and;
- to gain their support and commitment to the implementation of the action plans
Prioritise your 'to-do' list and create actions
Prioritise your 'to-do' list based on what you and your workforce feel is most important to address and what may be addressable with the resources available to you. Prioritise three to four 'to-do' items and create 'actions' to address these issues. These actions form part of your ongoing action plan.
Your action plan forms part of your risk assessment on work related stress. It is a health and safety document and should form part of your safety statement and be kept safely, dated and recorded.
Communicate your survey results and proposed actions
As with any health & safety risk assessment consultation and communication with staff is vitally important to give them an understanding of the results and actions plans and to have them involved in the process of improvement. As staff have invested time to undertake this survey then they must be involved in every step thereafter. Things to consider when communicating your results:
What did you do and why?
- Provide a little background to the HSE Work PositiveCI project and the positive reasons for your engaging in the process.
What did you find?
- Provide a brief summary of the key findings, discussing your concerns, and why issues were prioritised.
What are you planning to do to improve the situation?
- Let your staff know when they can expect further information regarding the implementation of the action plan.
Remember to provide contact information and highlight opportunities for employees to engage with your initiatives and provide feedback to the survey results and action plan.
It is important to view the negative responses as an opportunity to learn and develop as an organisation. Negative responses should be seen in context; they are not indicative of stress being experienced; they are indicative of stressors (hazards which can lead to stress) and thus the next phase is ascertaining whether or not this is the case for different groups of employees. Any negative responses that are significant should be addressed with an action plan agreed for implementation. Treat the responses seriously and begin exploring ways of resolving the situation.