Stress toolkit

UCU model stress questionnaire

Members of the teaching/lecturing staff have been reporting that the increasing levels of
stress at work are affecting their health, well-being and job satisfaction. In order to gather
evidence, which may be presented to management, the UCU branch/LA is conducting a
stress questionnaire.

Please answer the following questions. Your replies will be treated in the strictest
confidence – we are not asking you to provide your name. Please return the completed
form to your UCU reps or direct to ……….. using the attached envelope, by …………

The questionnaire applies to all teaching staff, UCU and non-UCU members alike. We
hope that all members of the teaching staff will appreciate the importance of this and take
a few minutes to fill it in. You should find it takes no more than 10 to 15 minutes to
complete.

Part 1: Background details

1. Please indicate your position/staff grade: Please Circle

Lecturer 1
Part time Lecturer 2
Researcher 3
Senior Lecturer 4
Principal Lecturer 5
Management Post 6

Please Circle
2. Is your post: Permanent 1
Temporary 2
Please Circle
3. Are you: Male 1
Female 2

4. Do you consider yourself a disabled person? Please Circle

Yes

No
 Model stress questionnaire

Please Circle
5. Are you: White – British 1
Irish 2
Other 3
Asian/British
Bangladeshi 4
Indian 5
Pakistani 6
Other 7

Black/Black British
African 8
Caribbean 9
Other 10

Mixed
White/Asian 11
White/Black African 12
White/Black Caribbean 13
Other 14
Chinese/Other Ethnic Group
Chinese 15
Any Other 16

Please Circle
6. Age: Under 26 1
26-35 2
36-45 3
46-55 4
56+ 5

7. Which department are you in?..............................................................................

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 Model stress questionnaire

Part 2: Stress Symptoms

7. How would you describe your general health 3 years ago and now:

Please Circle

3 yrs ago Present

Good 1 2
Reasonable 1 2
Poor 1 2

8. Are you experiencing, or have you experienced any of these stress symptoms in
the last year?

Please Circle

Never Sometimes Often

a. Headaches/migraine 1 2 3
b. Aches and pains 1 2 3
c. High blood pressure 1 2 3
d. Poor sleep patterns 1 2 3
e. Skin Rashes 1 2 3
f. Indigestion 1 2 3
g. Stomach ulcers 1 2 3
h. Asthma 1 2 3
i. Anxiety 1 2 3
j. Depression 1 2 3
k. Heart disease 1 2 3
l. Changes in appetite 1 2 3
m. Exhaustion 1 2 3
n. Increased consumption of
tobacco. 1 2 3
o. Increased consumption of
alcohol. 1 2 3
p. Inability to concentrate 1 2 3
q. Erratic moods 1 2 3
r. Low self esteem/confidence 1 2 3

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 Model stress questionnaire

9. While working do you ever feel:

Please circle

Never Sometimes Often

a. Irritated 1 2 3
b. Angry 1 2 3
c. Frustrated 1 2 3
d. Helpless 1 2 3
e. Anxious 1 2 3
f. Depressed 1 2 3
g. Unable to concentrate 1 2 3
h. Over tired 1 2 3

10. Have you taken leave in the past 12 months due to work related stress?

Please Circle

Yes No
1 2

11. If Yes, how long for? Please Circle

A few days one week two weeks longer

1 2 3 4

12. Have stress related symptoms returned on your return to work?

Please circle

Yes No
1 2

13. Has your GP suggested that your condition was due to your work?

Please circle

Yes No
1 2

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 Model stress questionnaire

14. Are you receiving treatment from your GP for stress related symptoms?

Please Circle

Yes No
1 2

Part 3: Workload

15. Please estimate the average number of hours per week that you work (both on
and off site) during term time.

Please circle

30 – 35 1
36- - 40 2
41 – 45 3
46 – 50 4
51 + 5

16. (a) Please indicate how, if at all, your total workload has changed over the last
five years, and two years

Please circle

5 years 2 years

Workload has decreased 1 1

Remained the same 2 2
Workload increased 3 3

If your workload has increased, please go to questions 16b & 17 below.

If your workload has decreased or remained the same, please go to question 18.

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 Model stress questionnaire

16 (b) If your workload has increased, please indicate below the approximate extent
by which it has changed.

Workload has increased by: Please circle

Over 5 years Over 2 years

a. about a quarter 1 1
b. about a half 2 2
c. about three quarters 3 3
d. about double 4 4
e. more than double 5 5

17. If your workload has increased please indicate on the scale below:

a. which factors have been significant in causing the increase

b. which single factor has contributed most to your increased workload.

Significant factors Single most important

(You may select factor (choose one
more than one) only please)

(please circle) (please circle one)

Factors
Changes in conditions of service 1 1
Teaching new courses 1 2
Admin (general) 1 3
Increased student numbers 1 4
Inspection/auditing processes 1 5
Meeting targets/deadlines 1 6
Keeping up with new ed. initiatives 1 7
Need to generate income 1 8
Requirement to undertake research 1 9
Other (please specify below) 1 10

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 Model stress questionnaire

Part 4: Factors Causing Stress

18. Which factors associated with your current post do you think create work related
stress? Please circle on the scale below, how significant each of these factors are:

Not Occasionally Very

Stress related factors Stressful
applicable stressful Stressful
Demands
a Dealing with student discipline 1 2 3 4
b larger classes/more students 1 2 3 4
c Dealing with aggressive/violent 1 2 3 4
behaviour
d Teaching new courses 1 2 3 4
e Dealing with new education initiatives 1 2 3 4
f Administration 1 2 3 4
g Frequent changes to timetable or 1 2 3 4
courses
h Increased workload 1 2 3 4
i Need to hit targets/deadlines 1 2 3 4
j Long working hours 1 2 3 4
k Increase in temporary/ part time 1 2 3 4
contracts
l Inspection/auditing processes 1 2 3 4
m Lone working 1 2 3 4
n Off site/multi site working 1 2 3 4
o Traveling time 1 2 3 4
p Lack of regular breaks 1 2 3 4
q Staff appraisal 1 2 3 4
r Presenteeism – feeling unable to take 1 2 3 4
time-off sick
Control
a Not able to exert control over 1 2 3 4
demands made
b Lack of participation in decision 1 2 3 4
making
c Dealing with competing demands – 1 2 3 4
unable to plan working day
d Work linked to deadlines & targets 1 2 3 4

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 Model stress questionnaire

Not Occasionally Very

Stress related factors Stressful
applicable stressful Stressful
e Changes in terms & conditions 1 2 3 4
without consultation
f Job changes without consultation 1 2 3 4
g Lack of funds/resources/ support to 1 2 3 4
do the job
h Given responsibility without the 1 2 3 4
authority to take decisions
i Insufficient time for scholarship and/or 1 2 3 4
research
Relationships
a Bullying behaviour from managers/ 1 2 3 4
staff/ students
b Harassment by managers/ staff/ 1 2 3 4
students
c Dealing with conflictual situations 1 2 3 4
d Lack of line management support 1 2 3 4
e Feeling isolated in curriculum area 1 2 3 4
f Lack of communication with staff 1 2 3 4
g New styles of institutional 1 2 3 4
management
h Feeling that your work is not valued 1 2 3 4
i Lack of involvement and information 1 2 3 4
as hourly paid lecturer
Role
a Conflicting demands in job role 1 2 3 4
b Unclear job description 1 2 3 4
c Lack of support in job role 1 2 3 4
d Efforts not valued 1 2 3 4
e Lack of participation in decision 1 2 3 4
making
f Lack of promotion prospects 1 2 3 4
g Lack of career development 1 2 3 4
opportunities
h Poor pay prospects due to hourly 1 2 3 4
paid /agency worker status
Change
a Pace and intensity of change 1 2 3 4
b New educational initiatives 1 2 3 4

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 Model stress questionnaire

Not Occasionally Very

Stress related factors Stressful
applicable stressful Stressful
c High degree of uncertainty about 1 2 3 4
work due to re-organization
d High degree of uncertainty due to 1 2 3 4
restructuring & redundancies
e Uncertainty due to merger 1 2 3 4
f Pressures from funding organizations 1 2 3 4
g Impact of restructuring on 1 2 3 4
workload/job responsibilities
h Large increases in numbers of part 1 2 3 4
time/temporary staff
i Changes without consultation 1 2 3 4
j Lack of participation in decision 1 2 3 4
making
Support
a Lack of information about what is 1 2 3 4
going on
b Insufficient admin support 1 2 3 4
c Feeling work not valued 1 2 3 4
d Lack of management support 1 2 3 4
e Limited or no access to training 1 2 3 4
f Over competitive/ confrontational 1 2 3 4
institutional culture
g Lack of funds/resources to do the job 1 2 3 4
h Lack of facilities, eg photocopiers 1 2 3 4
i Lack of facilities and support due to 1 2 3 4
hourly paid status

Part 5: Overview

19. What do you see yourself doing five years from now? Please circle

Working in the same post 1

Working in a promoted post 2
Working for another establishment in a similar post 3
Working for another establishment in a promoted post 4
Change career – no longer teaching 5
Retired 6

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 Model stress questionnaire

20. What are the two things, which would make a significant difference to the stress
concerns identified above?

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

21. Please use the space below to provide any other information or comments you wish to
make about Lecturer’s workload and factors affecting levels of stress.

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Thank you for taking the time to fill in the questionnaire. (If you are not a UCU member you
are welcome to join. Please contact ……………………………..for an application form).

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