Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

StressAnxietyFinancial wellbeingStressMental health conditions

Just 1% ‘never’ experience work-related stress, finds survey

by Ashleigh Webber 7 Apr 2020
by Ashleigh Webber 7 Apr 2020

Just 1% of employees claim never to experience work-related stress, a survey conducted for Stress Awareness Month this month (April) has found.

Of the 1,815 people polled by employee experience platform Perkbox, more than three-quarters (79%) said they commonly experience work-related stress, while about a fifth (17%) said they rarely do.

Stress

Financial services staff ‘more stressed than in 2008 financial crisis’

Nine out of 10 working in TV, film and cinema experience mental ill health

As a result of workplace stressors, more than half (55%) said they experienced feelings of anxiety, while 43% lost sleep. Almost a third (32%) turned to stimulants such as nicotine, alcohol and caffeine in order to cope, while the same proportion found themselves comfort eating.

Work-related stress was identified as the most common form of stress in the UK, followed by stress brought on by financial issues (60%), family (48%), health (45%) and relationships (35%).

Employees were reluctant to approach their employer about the pressure they faced, with fewer than one in five stating that they would speak to a manager. Sixteen per cent said they would be prepared to leave a company that was making them feel stressed.

However, the majority of employees felt their organisation had mechanisms in place to support stressed staff. Only 19% said their organisation had no measures in place.

The most popular stress-reducing policies identified by survey respondents included flexible working hours (offered by 37% of workplaces), regular one-to-ones between employees and managers (37%), and counselling services (33%).

Perkbox’s 2020 UK workplace stress survey report concluded: “There’s still a way to go for UK business to find ways of working and measures which will limit the damage on their company cultures, staff morale and performance. The silver lining here is that many are making positive changes within their businesses to help employees manage stress levels.

“With those experiencing workplace stress being on the rise, it reinforces the importance of businesses to look for ways to support and provide the tools for their employees to tackle mental health and stress in their organisation.

“Employers need to identify the causes of stress in their workplace and introduce strategies to ensure happier and healthier employees. The statistics show that not only will this improve employee’s wellbeing, but also improve company performance.”

Ashleigh Webber
Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is editor at OHW+ and HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support. Prior to joining Personnel Today in 2018, she covered the road transport sector for Commercial Motor and Motor Transport magazines, touching on some of the employment and wellbeing issues experienced by those in road haulage.

previous post
‘No worker should die of work-acquired Covid-19’, says SOM, as NHS fatalities mount
next post
Working from home: do staff have suitable equipment?

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Signs of severe eating disorders often missed, warns...

23 May 2022

Workers feeing increasingly anxious, burnt out and fearful...

13 May 2022

Three-quarters not meeting weekly exercise target

11 May 2022

Mental health still topping the concerns for employers

9 May 2022

Occupational health must help ‘de-risk’ requests for addiction...

6 May 2022

Severe Covid cognitive impairment ‘equivalent to 20 years...

4 May 2022

Four in five GPs suffering with mental health

29 Apr 2022

Government seeks evidence on mental ill-health prevention and...

19 Apr 2022

OH will be key to navigating ‘second pandemic’...

14 Apr 2022

Men’s mental health: motivating staff to open up

12 Apr 2022

  • The importance of being an ethical leader and how to become one PROMOTED | What is ethical leadership?...Read more
  • RPO Report: 2022, The Year to Outsource PROMOTED | Employers should be overwhelmed with choice...Read more
  • Report: Enabling organisational agility through talent & people success PROMOTED | Work has been challenged...Read more
  • Employee Trends 2022 report PROMOTED | Edenred research on employees analysed the key employees’ trends for 2022...Read more
  • How finance apprenticeships can boost business PROMOTED | As the world’s most forward-thinking professional accountancy body...Read more
  • Paul Devoy: Showing appreciation to the Investors in People community PROMOTED | Ask most people what comes to mind when you mention Investors in People...Read more
  • White paper: How digitalisation can support evolving occupational health PROMOTED | Download this free white paper to discover how digitalisation can help occupational health meet emerging challenges...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today