Employers dismissing staff stresss complaints as ‘just an excuse’

Employers are increasingly dismissing complaints about stress as ‘just an
excuse’, a study by a law firm has suggested.

The survey by Peninsula of 958 employers and 4,125 employees found 91 per
cent of workers admitted feeling stressed, but almost 70 per cent of employers
believed it was just an excuse or ‘a phase’ that did not merit time off.

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Although 76 per cent of employers admitted to being concerned about stress
and its effects, only a quarter believed staff should be excused from work
because of it, although 13 per cent said staff could stay at home occasionally.

By comparison, some 77 per cent of employees had already taken time off for
this reason, and 79 per cent felt organisations failed to understand the
seriousness of the problem.