Work Pressure Needs to Be Reduced to Cut Stress among Employees
In a recent survey carried out by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) through You Gov, it was found out that over 40% of workers felt increased work pressure at their workplace in the wake of the unstable economy. Around two thirds of them also admitted that their biggest worry was losing their job. In a different survey, more than 10% of workers said that they were under extreme stress due to work.
The situation is on the verge of becoming a serious stress epidemic that might encompass the entire working population of
The President of the IOSH, Nattasha Freeman, emphasizes the need for employers to help their employees in reducing stress, especially in the present economic downturn. She also said that workers are living in a hostile environment, with rising work pressure as well as the apprehension of loss of jobs. Noticeably, their salaries have not increased with the corresponding increase in the cost of living, rather they have been reduced.
Reports suggest that around 13.5 million days of work were lost last year due to depression and work related stress among employees. As Freeman noted, often, workers have to take time off from the job due to the work stress, which in turn can increase the pressure upon the employers. It is therefore the employers who should take positive steps to avoid stress in the first place rather than trying to reduce it later. The Certificate in Personnel Practice (CPP) provides a firm foundation in all the areas of personnel; ideal for anyone managing people.
The people most likely to suffer from work related stress are those working in public administration, education sector, health services, social work, defence and financial industry. The employers need to encourage employees to take recourse to medical help and health improvement measures so that they can stay healthy and stress free.
