Stress-related illness is forcing UK staff to take 6.5 million days off work
a year at a cost of £370m to business.
The Health and Safety Executive research shows that 150,000 employees have
taken at least a month off sick because of stress-related illness. Employees
aged 35 and 44 suffer the highest levels of stress, and the problem increases
the longer employees stay in the same job.
The picture of jaded British staff emerged last week as the HSE launched
guidelines for employers to help combat stress in the workplace. The HSE hopes
Tackling work-related stress: a managers’ guide to improving and maintaining
employee health and well being, will reduce the number of staff suffering from
work-related stress or depression, currently set at 500,000.
"Work-related stress is a huge occupational health problem, inflicting
a heavy toll both in terms of financial cost and human suffering," said
HSE spokesperson Elizabeth Gyngell.
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"We recognise that there is considerable pressure in the modern
competitive workplace, but there is a difference between the buzz that people
get from doing a busy job and staff being unable to cope with the strains
placed upon them. A burnt-out workforce is an unproductive workforce."
