Business Mentality

Workplace stress is on the rise in the UK as more and more of us suffer from the burden of overwork and the problems of juggling busy lives both at home and in the office.

Stress has now overtaken back pain as the biggest cause of absence from work, and it is cited by health and safety officials as costing British companies a staggering £1.24 billion a year. Furthermore, there are many incidents of stress that are either not reported (because members of staff come in to work regardless) or passed off as something else in fear of reprisals from colleagues or managers.

Statistically:

•·         20% of your staff will report they have suffered some major life event in the past 3 months.

•·         Work-related stress accounts for over a third of all new incidences of ill-health

•·         10% of your staff are likely to report very low levels of satisfaction with both their jobs and the organisation

•·         30% of visits to the GP are stress related

•·         Depression affects  in 6 people

Workers who report being very stressed have a range of health and behaviour problems, from poor mental health and back pain to excessive drinking and smoking.

Despite huge media interest and the increase of stress programmes, there is no sign that the stress epidemic has peaked. In fact, stressed workers appear to be getting more stressed.

In a major survey, almost three-quarters of executives claimed workplace stress is damaging their health, happiness and home life, not to mention their performance.