Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Mental health conditionsOccupational Health

Realistic workloads are key to reducing stress in the workplace

by Nic Paton 3 Aug 2016
by Nic Paton 3 Aug 2016 Emotional intelligence training got positive feedback from social workers, but the impact on burnout was unclear
Emotional intelligence training got positive feedback from social workers, but the impact on burnout was unclear

Emotional support and realistic workloads are key to reducing stress in the workplace, according to research on social workers by the University of East Anglia.

The study, produced by the Centre for Research on Children and Families (CRCF), examined the relationship between “emotional intelligence” – or the ability to identify and manage emotions in oneself and others – and stress, burnout and social work practice.

It also assessed whether or not emotional intelligence training for social workers would reduce their burnout rates over time. While emotional intelligence training is offered by some local authorities, there is little consistent evidence to show the benefits of such interventions on practice, the study highlighted.

This study involved 209 child and family social workers across eight local authorities in England.

The researchers found emotional intelligence training received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants, yet it did not show any statistically significant effect on stress and burnout after the training.

One possible reason for this was that few participants used the training tools in practice, it argued. Therefore, the researchers suggested that embedding training and follow-ups into supervision systems was likely to improve the transfer of training into practice.

Key stress triggers were: work demands, resource provision, training provision, and leader and peer support. So if social workers were to be most effective, it was essential their workloads were managed so as to be realistic, and that good administrative support be put in place, including proper resources to record cases and manage regulation.

Lead author Dr Laura Biggart, a lecturer in social science research and psychology, said: “The study confirmed that social work is an emotionally demanding profession, suggesting that particular attention should be given by social work employers to the workplace environment and social worker support.”

Nic Paton
Nic Paton

Nic Paton is consulting editor of OHW+. One of the country's foremost workplace health journalists, Nic has written for OHW+ and Occupational Health & Wellbeing since 2001, and edited the magazine from 2018.

previous post
Pensions auto-enrolment enforcements increase by 300%
next post
Occupational health research round-up: August 2016

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

OH placements: a win-win for students and employers

25 Sep 2023

Long-term sickness forcing more women and young men...

25 Sep 2023

Long Covid can lead to multiple organ damage...

25 Sep 2023

Scotland struggling to control work-related ill health

22 Sep 2023

Depression risk linked to ultra-processed foods

22 Sep 2023

Millions living with both chronic pain and mental...

22 Sep 2023

Importance of eye tests highlighted during National Eye...

18 Sep 2023

‘Forever chemicals’ can raise risks of ovarian cancer...

18 Sep 2023

Occupational Health Awareness Week aims to engage small...

18 Sep 2023

Growing ‘Pirola’ worries as teaching union warns over...

15 Sep 2023

  • Discover the value of CIPD accreditation PROMOTED | See how the CIPD can increase your earning potential...Read more
  • What does it mean to be an HR professional in 2024? (survey) PROMOTED | The world of HR is changing rapidly...Read more
  • The Contractor Management Mastery Pack: Everything you need to manage and pay global contractors PROMOTED | Answers to cross-border...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2023

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2023 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today