Work is the third biggest source of stress for employees in the UK, new research has revealed.
A survey by Ciphr found that only lack of sleep and money troubles were greater causes of stress among the 1,238 working adults polled.
The study showed 70% of respondents are stressed by at least one aspect of their work, while 37% said work in general is their biggest cause of stress and a similar percentage (35%) cited workload pressures as a close second.
Nearly a quarter (23%) find long or inflexible working hours a struggle, while other sources of increased stress are attributed to bosses (21%), workplace culture (20%) or work colleagues (19%).
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Despite an increase in hybrid and remote working since the pandemic, one in five workers (19%) say commuting is still a key cause of stress, while a similar percentage are anxious about their job security (17%).
Also reported as a cause of stress was sending and responding to emails, including instant messages and group chats, cited by 16% of respondents.
Other triggers which could impact an employee’s focus and productivity were identified as feeling tired (40%), financial strain (38%) and family or relationship issues (32%). More than a quarter also highlighted stress caused by health problems (27%) and having a schedule that was too busy (27%).
The data showed Generation X workers aged 45-54 years old are most likely to suffer, with 80% of women and 75% of men in this group feeling stressed by one or more aspects of their work lives.
According to the findings, the average worker feels stressed for around 11 days each month.
Two in five (42%) of employees below senior management level find work stressful in general, compared to only one in four (25%) senior managers and leaders who said the same.
Additionally, the research found hospitality and events staff struggle most often, on average feeling stressed around 15.6 days a month.
Social care, teaching and education workers feel stressed most regularly, with nearly one in five (18%) in these sectors struggling every day – although respectively they average 13.1 and 12.3 days of stress monthly.
The least stressful jobs are reported to be in engineering and manufacturing, with this cohort usually feeling stressed for 7.3 days every month.
Claire Williams, chief people and operations officer at Ciphr, said: “Ciphr’s latest research provides some interesting, yet worrying, insights into the high levels of work-related stress that exist across all job roles.
“One finding that stands out for me is how one in nine employees – that’s millions of people in the UK – feel stressed every single day. Work is not necessarily always the cause, granted, but it can be a significant contributor. If 11% of your workforce – likely more – is stressed daily, then it is going to have a big impact on their home lives and their work lives. So, employers need to be mindful of the role they can play in helping to relieve an individual’s stress and anxiety.”
Williams highlighted that stress triggers such as unrealistic workloads and time pressures, overbearing bosses, unsupportive colleagues and toxic workplace cultures, can affect people’s focus and productivity, as well as their happiness and job satisfaction. She warned that it can also lead to higher staff turnover and absenteeism.
Williams added: “Some stressors are always going to be around, and there are many things outside of an employer’s control that can still take a toll. But there are many things that organisations can, and must, do to actively support their employees’ mental health and wellbeing with empathy and understanding.
“If people are raising concerns about their workloads or working hours don’t ignore it – make changes where possible. The key lies in cultivating a workplace culture that prioritises employee wellbeing. One where discussing stress, and its causes and effects, is normalised and encouraged to help identify potential issues before they escalate. This includes training managers to recognise signs of mental distress and ensuring employees know what support is available to them via health insurance plans and employee assistance programmes.”
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