Records of sick leave with or without certificates

Look at the rate of sick leave for a workgroup compared to the average across a unit, region or department and compared to the whole organisation. Look for types of illness in summary information, including:

• tension headaches or migraines
• recurrent general ill-health (e.g. colds or flu)
• digestive system ulcers
• musculoskeletal disorders (e.g. tendon or muscular soreness).

Examine data frequencies for each workplace/workgroup.

Recreation leave

Look at patterns of use such as taking a small amount of time off (i.e. one or two days off frequently) - this can be commonly associated with unpleasant working  conditions and employee work-related stress.

Absenteeism records

Look at trends particularly liked to the work-related stress factors or hazards.

Workers’ compensation claims

Patterns and trends recorded for workers’ compensation claims can provide information about stress hazards and risks in a workplace.

Examine data regarding workers’ compensation claims for:

• work related stress
• post traumatic disorder
• anxiety
• depression.

Record the factors associated with work-related stress claims and the actions taken  in the workplace to prevent further injury or illness.

Grievance information

Workplace grievance information can also indicate issues that may give rise to stress in the workplace such as harassment, discrimination, occupational violence and bullying.

Incident and injury records

Look at dates and times that coincide with other events or trends. The pattern of small and large incidents can provide insight into the sources of stress in a workplace.

Employee assistance program

Look at the summary data such as the number of reports or types of issues managed.

Industrial relations records

This can provide insight into the level of job satisfaction in the workplace.  Industrial relations disputes are frequently associated with stress in the workplace.

Minutes of meetings

Look for unresolved and reappearing issues over time, such as workload and changes in work roles by reviewing previous minutes from workplace health and  safety meetings, toolbox talks and staff meetings.

Issue resolution records

Look for workplace health and safety issues (i.e. bullying, incidents, stress reports, grievances etc.) when changing practices such as:

• work systems
• practices
• management
• responsibilities.

Employee opinion survey information

Look for employee satisfaction regarding:

• leadership
• pay
• management of workplace conflict
• reward and recognition of effort
• career opportunities
• job security
• working conditions
• workplace consultation
• communication and involvement in decision making
• control over workload
• work schedules
• work culture issues (e.g. levels of support, social or physical isolation, management style).

Turnover data

Examine data from existing surveys or exit interviews. Data that shows higher than normal turnover rates can indicate a potential workplace problem. Specific information to look for when reviewing reasons for leaving include workload, lack of support or the mention of any bullying or conflict.

Media attention

Any negative media attention for your business or organisation can signal potential problems within the workplace. Use this as a catalyst to examine what is going on a little more closely.

Recruitment

Consider the difficulty or ease with which you are able to recruit new employees. Look at the time taken to hire as compared to industry averages (keeping in mind that some specialist roles are much more difficult to recruit for).

Sites such as glassdoor.com and employer reviews on seek.com can provide insight into an organisation’s work-life balance. This may contribute to how easy you find it  to recruit new employees.