Case Study: Training for a Local Council

A Local Council concerned that stress was the major factor for recent increases in sickness absence levels.

The council contacted In Equilibrium and advised that stress was the major factor in recent increases in absence statistics.  In response they had developed a stress policy and a basic stress risk assessment tool for their managers to use to identify the individual causes of stress and halt the increase in stress-related absence.  To support this initiative the council had identified In Equilibrium’s 1-day training course for managers ‘Managers Managing Wellbeing’ as the training intervention most appropriate for their circumstances.

The council was attracted to the Managers Managing Wellbeing course because it placed emphasis on ‘management behaviour’.  A particular concern for them was the manner in which managers would broach the subject of stress with their staff.

An In Equilibrium consultant reviewed the councils stress policy and their stress risk assessment tool before meeting with them to discuss how the Managers Managing Wellbeing course could be tailored to meet their specific needs.  The main change to the standard course was to exclude the ‘Pressure Profiling’ exercise, and replace it with the In Equilibrium CUSP™ framework that can be used to generate options in any stress related situation.  Role play exercises were also proposed by the consultant however it was felt that these were not necessary.

In total 4 training courses were run for approximately 40 participants.  The managers who attended the courses expressed particular interest in the CUSP™ framework which they regarded as an excellent practical tool that was easy to understand and use.  Subsequent follow up with the council management revealed complete satisfaction with the training delivery and the outcomes it achieved.