The number of personal injury claims fell last year, but work-related stress
cases soared
TUC report Focus on Services for Injury Victims shows work-related stress
increased twelve fold last year, from 516 cases in 2000 to 6,428 during 2001.
Many unions report that stress claims represent the largest increase in
cases.
Cary Cooper, Bupa professor of organisational psychology and health, is not
surprised by the surge in stress cases. He said the combination of 11 September
and the economic downturn has made people reassess their attitudes to work and
placed staff under greater pressure then ever.
"People are worried about their jobs and about work-life balance. If
people’s jobs are insecure, they are more likely to work long hours. They are
also more likely to tolerate situations at work that they might not
normally."
Professor Cooper said under-pressure managers are likely to be more
autocratic, increasing stress levels of those reporting to them.
Employees had 51,204 personal injury claims taken up by their unions last
year, a reduction of almost 750 cases.
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Awards won by unions for their members were up slightly to £321m.
