Stress, Work and Organisational Factors

POPH68832 Stress, Work and Organisational Factors 15 Semester 2 Postgraduate Taught Level 6 Nicola Gartland Unit coordinator 1 FHEQ level (Framework for Higher Education Qualifications) ' Masters/Integrated Masters P4 ' European Credit Transfer & Accumulation System Rating : 7.5 Students will develop an understanding of  organisations  as systems and how they impact employees. The unit covers topics including: organisational factors, human factors, employee behaviour, work-related stress, mental health and work, employee wellbeing, and legal considerations. Characteristics of organisations such as organisational culture, communication and leadership, job design, technology and AI management will be explored. The role of the occupational health physician and other occupational health professionals will be examined through relevant legislation and case law.   Students will develop an understanding of organisations as systems  and how they impact employees. The unit covers topics including: organisational factors, human factors, employee behaviour, work-related stress, mental health and work, employee wellbeing, and legal considerations. Characteristics of organisations such as organisational culture, communication and leadership, job design, technology and AI management will be explored. The role of the occupational health physician and other occupational health professionals will be examined through relevant legislation and case law.  This unit aims to provide an understanding of organisational factors as well as human factors that can influence work-related health outcomes, with a particular focus on stress and mental health outcomes (e.g. wellbeing, depression, burnout). Students will apply this knowledge to understanding the complex factors involved in the manifestation and management of work-related stress and mental health outcomes, and demonstrate skills in organisational assessment and identifying interventions to promote mental wellbeing at multiple organisational levels.   The learning outcomes intend to provide the student with an understanding of organisational factors and how they influence the work and health outcomes of employees. Students will also learn to apply relevant legislation and case law, and to appraise the suitability of recommendations and interventions to promote health and wellbeing in the workforce. <figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Category of Outcome</td><td>Students will be able to:</td></tr><tr><td>Knowledge and understanding</td><td>Describe work related stress and relevant mental health outcomesExplore the association between organisational/human factors and work-related outcomesDiscuss the barriers and enablers to organisations complying with health and safety legislation </td></tr><tr><td>Intellectual skills</td><td>Interpret and evaluate measures of occupational psychosocial risk factorsReflect on the organisational and human factors associated with positive and negative work related outcomesReflect and give examples of how human behaviour can be affected by the environment and organisational cultureCritically appraise and synthesise evidence from a range of sources, to inform workplace interventions </td></tr><tr><td>Practical skills</td><td><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;color:rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:"Times New Roman";font-size:medium;font-style:normal;font-variant-caps:normal;font-variant-ligatures:normal;font-weight:400;letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:start;text-decoration-color:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;white-space:normal;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;">Effectively communicate the justification for workplace interventions </td></tr><tr><td>Transferable skills and personal qualities </td><td>Integrate knowledge of health, legislation and business in the management of work-related issues affecting both individuals and workplaces.</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> On completion, students should be able to:<ul><li>Demonstrate a conceptual understanding of organisational and human factors in the workplace.</li><li>Demonstrate a conceptual understanding of work-related stress and relevant mental health outcomes. </li><li>Discuss the role of organisational management in ensuring compliance with health and safety at work. </li><li>Understand the principles of the relationship between organisational factors and employee outcomes, and the issues relating to the management of these factors.   </li></ul> On completion, students should be able to:<ul><li>Analyse the relationships between organisational factors and organisation-level outcomes (e.g. productivity, absenteeism, safety records) </li><li>Examine organisation and human factors related to work-related stress and mental health outcomes, including factors associated with reduced levels of work-related stress.</li><li>Appraise the role of human behaviour (including its causes and consequences) in particular health and safety scenarios.</li><li>Develop powers of critical appraisal, analytical thinking, and logical argument to allow evaluation of concepts and/or approaches to occupational health issues.  </li></ul> On completion, students should be able to:<ul><li>Apply legislation and case law to organisational stress and mental health scenarios.</li><li>Identify/suggest appropriate interventions for specific workplace scenarios. </li><li>Evaluate interventions aimed at reducing the risk of negative health outcomes (e.g. work-related stress, poor mental health).   </li></ul> On completion, students should be able to:<ul><li>Integrate knowledge of health, legislation and business in the management of work-related issues affecting both individuals and groups.</li></ul> Analytical skills Students will be able to assess the role of organisational and human factors in relevant organisational and health outcomes. Leadership Students will understand the role of occupational health in promoting good work practices within organisations. Oral communication Students will develop their understanding of communication with organisations, within an occupational health setting. Problem solving Students will be able to identify the challenges of promoting positive work and health outcomes in organisations, and consider how these challenges can be overcome. Learning and teaching will take the form of online lectures, webinars, group discussion, tutorial, and optional on campus workshops, where applicable. Canvas will be used for course materials, group discussions, announcements, reading lists and for online assessments.     7 Oral assessment/presentation 100% <figure class="table"><table><tbody><tr><td>Description</td><td>Weighting</td><td>Length</td></tr><tr><td>Presentation assessment: 15 minute audiovisual asynchronous presentation + 500 word briefing note</td><td>100%</td><td>15 min presentation 500 word briefing note</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> Formative assessments with automatic feedback are available throughout the unit as an aid to understanding the course materials. Feedback for the summative assessments is provided by tutors via Canvas. Students may also receive direct feedback from interaction with session leaders throughout the course of study.  N <ul><li>Agius R, Seaton A. Practical occupational medicine 2nd ed. London: Hodder Arnold 2005. ISBN 034075947X OR Tar-Ching A, Gardiner K, Harrington, JM. Occupational health (Pocket Consultants) 5th ed. Wiley-Blackwell 2006. ISBN- 10 1405122218; ISBN-13 978-1405122214.</li><li>Clarke, Sharon, and Cary L Cooper. Managing the Risk of Workplace Stress : Health and Safety Hazards. London ; Routledge, 2004. Print.</li><li>Johnson S, Robertson I & Cooper, CL. WELL-BEING: Productivity and Happiness at Work. 2nd ed. 2018. Cham: Springer International Publishing, 2018.  </li></ul> Tutorials 15 0 135 If you have any questions regarding the content of this unit, please contact the Course Unit Lead, Nicola Gartland, via nicola.gartland@manchester.ac.uk.If you have any other queries, please contact the Programme Admin team via shs.programmes@manchester.ac.uk.