Employers’ failure to address stress levels that have increased over the past year could be affecting productivity, research suggests.
Benchmarking company Investors in People polled 2,261 adults, and found that almost four in 10 (39%) UK employees said stress levels were higher now than 12 months ago. But not even one-third (29%) said their organisation was doing anything to help them manage this.
Approaching half (43%) of stressed employees blamed a lack of confidence in management, while just 5% said they were receiving more support from their managers in the downturn.
Simon Jones, chief executive of Investors in People, said increased stress would reduce productivity indefinitely.
“Our research suggests that management has so far not addressed the current increase in workplace stress,” he said. “The longer the problem is ignored, the more it could impact on productivity at a time when the UK economy needs a boost.”
A survey of nearly 700 organisations found that one in four long-term absences in 2007-08 were due to stress.
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