Description
The project's objective is to gather reliable data on psychosocial dangers/strains in the judiciary and their health effects, and to improve psychosocial work conditions in courts of justice. The project promoter plans to perform a survey representative for the population of court of justice workers in Poland, and use its results to take action in order to make their work less stressful, or to improve the level of health protection of court of justice workers against negative effects of stress in the workplace, which, indirectly, should contribute to better quality of judiciary functions in Poland. The survey will cover all professional groups employed in common courts of justice. The report from the survey will be officially delivered to health and safety committees in courts of justice, with a request to reassess existing professional risks.
Summary of project results
"The aim of the project was to gather representative data on professional stress in Polish courts of law, and to improve psycho-social conditions of work in the judiciary. As a result of the project, it was found out that work conditions in Polish courts of law are extremely stressing and conducive to mobbing. A substantial group of workers have also health problems that can influence the quality of functioning of the courts of law. 10% of the problems can be explained by the work conditions, and 30% of them by psycho-physical overload with work as compared with the capabilities of the workers. Based on the results of the surveys, in the first three courts of law action was taken to properly assess psycho-social risks for all groups of workers. For the first time in Poland, a survey of professional stress was conducted that was representative for the whole population of court of law workers. Almost 1300 workers from at least 68 courts of law were supplied with results of the surveys in the form of individual information on psycho-social characteristics of their work conditions. In all courts of law, a social initiative ""Stop the stress in courts of law"" was organised. In various meetings concerning the issues, in all over 800 persons took part - employees and employers from courts of law, representatives of social and professional organisations, and psychologists and doctors. Three documents were published and are available online, describing the stress connected with work in Polish courts of law and the basic rules for health protection from the negative effects of stress. Nine recommendations were presented for systemic changes in the organisation of the judiciary to protect the health of its workers. The social action and other activities were commented by the national and local media. All social organisations active in courts of law participated in the project. The partner, the Trade Union of Court of Law Workers NSZZ ""Solidarność"", was responsible for inviting to take part in the surveys workers of courts of law across Poland and for the implementation of the social action ""Stop the stress in courts of law""."
Summary of bilateral results