This case study examines a stress risk assessment of VIP Fuvar Kft, a Hungarian transportation company specializing in perishable foods. The company was at risk of failing due to low workloads, tension between managers, and money missing from the cashier. A risk assessment identified measures to reduce stress including involving employees more, clarifying roles and responsibilities, and changing the employee structure. The intervention included hiring a business manager, enriching driver responsibilities, and holding weekly meetings. As a result, the company was able to transform its structure and better manage risks to employee well-being and stress.

1. CASE STUDY Nº 4: Stress Risk Assessment
Developed by: NET-MEX
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission
cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

2. INTRODUCTION
As we have learnt from the Module 4, risk assessment is a very important process
at SMEs working in the transport sector.
The main resources of a company is its employees – their well-being describes the
whole company.
Which are the most important risk factors to identify:
work requirements and demands
factors associated with work management
physical conditions at work
work relationships
changes in work conditions
work overload
availability of support and resources
undertrainted emotional intelligence
multitasking
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3. DESCRIPTION
Our example is specialized to the highly perishable food supply,
VIP Fuvar Kft, which is doing national and international transporting activities.:
• 2 owners
• 2 young maintainer
• 1 route manager
• 3 young drivers
Services: Transport of highly perishable food, for example fish, clam or exotic fruits
 After half a year of trial it was not sure if the company survives at all…
Factors:
• Feeling of failure, uncertainty of future
• Low load of work, responsibility issues
• Food landing in the dustbin
• Maintainers chatting
• No interest for the services
• Tension between managers
• Missing money from the cashier
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4. DESCRIPTION
Steps and effects of the intervention techniques
1. Hiring a business manager with a transport education
2. Making the driver with the professional background to
be the chief driver
3. Enriching his scope of responsibilities
4. Enriching the professional profile of the two younger
drivers with marketing and route organization
5. Describing the owners’ scope of competences and tasks
6. Holding one common meeting per week
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5. WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM THIS CASE STUDY?
Risk assessment revealed potential measures:
• Involving the employees more in the business
• Transformation of the employees’ structure and getting the group
together
• Changing the roles and responsibilities of the company
• Measures of cost-reduction
Assessment
of risk
Design action
Learning and
plan to reduce
further action
risk
Evaluation of Implementation
action plan of action plan
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6. FINAL COMMENTS
Tips for diminishing or preventing work stress
• Caring for troubled employees
• Become aware of the organizational culture
• Ensure well designed work
• Raise employees awareness about their responsibility in
preventing and reducing work-related stress
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7. The project consortium