“When a report on staff stress levels by human-resource managers warns of a plethora of problems including ‘friction and anger’ between colleagues, managers might be expected to take the ‘urgent action’ called for. But when the Institute of Communication Studies at the University of Leeds was confronted with such findings, its director responded by circulating a critique of the report, warning that it would be ‘extremely dangerous’ to act on them. The study, carried out last year by the university under Health and Safety Executive guidelines, raised concerns about staff workloads, said support from managers had to improve and reported ‘unachievable deadlines and unrealistic time pressures’. Gary Rawnsley, the institute’s director, responded by attaching a damning analysis of the report when he circulated it to staff …” (more)
[Melanie Newman, THE, 15 January]