NEBOSH has collaborated with Great Britain’s Health and Safety Regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), to develop the NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Managing Stress at Work.
This qualification is designed to help delegates identify and reduce workplace stressors in order to create a positive, healthier workplace.
“Organisations that take action to reduce work-related stress before it becomes a problem have reported improvements in productivity, staff retention and a reduction in sickness absence. It’s more than that though. It’s about creating the right work environment for people to thrive and if you don’t look at what you are doing at the organisational level, everything else is just a sticking plaster.”
Jen Webster - Occupational Psychologist, HSE
Who is it for?
Individuals
This qualification is suitable for anyone responsible for managing people or for managing workplace stress. This may include:
- Health and Safety professionals
- Human Resource professionals
- Line managers and supervisors
- Occupational health professionals
Through studying the qualification, individuals will undertake in-depth, best practice learning from which they will understand the six key areas of work design and how to identify warning signs and implement strategic interventions.
Employers
Investing in the understanding and prevention of work-related stress and improved wellbeing can benefit your organisation in several ways. This qualification will help you to:
- Build valuable in-house expertise
- Improve staff attendance levels and reduce absences
- Boost staff performance and productivity
- Enhance your organisation’s reputation
- Build organisational and workforce resilience
- Reduce the threat of litigation
- Create a safer and healthier work environment
This qualification will give you confidence that your team is trained in HSE’s current approach to managing and controlling stress at work. By adopting the principles taught in this qualification you can empower your employees to create a positive workplace, and significantly reduce the causes and effects of workplace stress
What you will learn
What does the course cover?
The NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Managing Stress at Work aims to help you understand the key principles of work-related stress and its relationship to mental ill health issues. Beyond this you will learn:
- How to recognise the causes and effects of workplace stress
- The responsibilities of employers and individual roles in managing workplace stress
- How to apply the HSE’s Management Standards approach to assess stress risks in the workplace
- How to develop suitable interventions to address stressors, reduce negative impacts, and manage the effects of stress in the workplace
- Ways to continually improve your organisation and create a great place to work
Further details can be found in the syllabus guide which can be downloaded in the Resources Section below.
How is the qualification assessed?
A multiple-choice assessment is completed at the end of the course. You will be presented with a realistic workplace scenario, and will answer multiple-choice questions focused on the principles learnt throughout the course.
Length of course
You should plan your study around a minimum of seven hours. This is made up of six taught hours and one hour for the assessment.
HSE Managing Stress at Work
Entry requirements and exemptions
Entry requirements
It is important that learners have a suitable standard of English language in order to understand and articulate the concepts contained in the syllabus.
NEBOSH recommends that learners undertaking this qualification should reach a minimum standard of English equivalent to an International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.0 or higher in IELTS tests.
For further information please see the IELTS website.
A chart mapping IELTS scores to the Common European Framework for Languages (CEFR) can be found on the British Council and IELTS websites:
Learners wishing to assess their own language expertise may consult the IELTS website for information on taking the test. Your chosen Learning Partner may also be able to recommend a method of pre-learning assessment of language.
Exemptions
No exemptions are allowed for Unit MSW1.
Start studying
Choose a Learning Partner
Every learner must register with a NEBOSH accredited Learning Partner and undertake the relevant learning before taking an assessment and gaining a qualification. It is not possible to self-study for a NEBOSH qualification.
Our global network of Learning Partners provide excellent learning and support and will help you prepare for your assessments. You can search for Learning Partners in our Where to Study section, and can filter the results by multiple factors, such as location and mode of study.
You should ensure that the Learning Partner you choose offers the qualification in the way you want to study. We recommend that you explore your options before selecting a Learning Partner as it is an important personal choice.
The factors you may wish to consider include:
- Mode of Study – Options available include face to face, distance learning, in-company training and eLearning. Has one method of learning been more effective for you in the past?
- Course Structure – If you opt for classroom training, would you prefer day or evening classes, block release or a modular course?
- Location – Being able to study and sit your examinations locally may be an important consideration for you. NEBOSH examinations are taken in over 130 countries.
- On-going support – Will the support provided during your qualification and in the run up to your assessments match your expectations?
Cost
Each Learning Partner sets their own fees to reflect the service offered. We recommend you contact several Learning Partners to establish what their fees are and what is included in the fee. Costs can vary depending on the mode of study, the level of support given, and the inclusion of examination registration fees, for example.
Read more about our Learning Partner Programme and how to choose the right Learning Partner for you: Choosing a NEBOSH Learning Partner.
Professional Recognition and SQA Accreditation
Maintaining professional standards
In the UK – and, increasingly, worldwide – regulatory accreditation is recognised as a badge of quality, allowing our qualifications to retain their highly regarded professional status.
UK accredited qualifications provide you with certain guarantees that the qualification:
- Meets specific quality criteria that ensure it is fit for its purpose
- Includes relevant content
- Uses appropriate assessment methodology
- Is mapped to relevant National Occupational Standards (NOS)
- Is supported by relevant stakeholders including employers
The NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Managing Stress at Work is not accredited by SQA Accreditation. However it is intended to be broadly comparable to Level 7 in the Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework (SCQF), comparable to RQF Level 4 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
See the Qualifications Can Cross Boundaries chart issued by the UK regulators.
Valued by Employers
NEBOSH qualifications can play an important part in ensuring that the health and safety provision businesses have in place is effective. This is one reason why so many organisations choose to include NEBOSH qualifications on their competency matrices.
Assessments
Assessment registration
All assessment registrations must be completed by an accredited Learning Partner.
Assessment dates
All assessments are held on a date chosen by your Learning Partner. You should contact them for more information.
Assessment results
You will receive your results within 24 working days of sitting the assessments. Once you have achieved a pass a qualification parchment will be issued. This is normally within 20 working days of the confirmation of the successful unit.
What next?
If this is your first NEBOSH Certificate level qualification, you may be interested in taking another NEBOSH Certificate qualification, such as the NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health.
The connections between our qualifications are illustrated in more detail in the Qualifications Progression Leaflet found in the Resources section below.
Resources
This section provides guidance and useful information in support of this qualification.
If you would like any further information please get in touch through our Contact Us page - our Customer Enquiry Team will be happy to help.
Syllabus Guide
Download the leaflet
NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Managing Stress Course Book
Managing Stress at Work follows the syllabus for the NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Managing Stress at Work. It provides the knowledge you need to help you gain the qualification.
Download the course booK extract
Learners studying this qualification may receive a copy from their Learning Partner.
Qualification Progression Leaflet
Policies, terms and fees
- Learner Terms and Conditions
- Learner Fees list
- URN information - your Unit Results Notification explained
- All NEBOSH policies and procedures