National Stress Awareness Day highlights a worrying increase in stress levels among UK workers.
- A survey by CV-Library reveals that a majority of employees feel overworked and unappreciated.
- Stress is leading to significant mental and physical health issues, prompting increased absenteeism.
- Coping mechanisms often include ineffective or unhealthy practices such as alcohol and comfort eating.
- There is a pressing need for employers to address these issues and reduce the stigma around workplace stress.
This week marks National Stress Awareness Day, bringing attention to the escalating stress levels experienced by workers across the United Kingdom. According to recent findings by CV-Library, a jobs board, a significant 60.9% of the surveyed employees report feeling overworked, with over a quarter admitting to having taken time off due to stress. The data presents a stark reality of workplace conditions, emphasizing the urgent need for effective intervention.
The survey identifies key contributors to stress, with insufficiency of time to complete tasks being a predominant factor, as noted by 60.9% of participants. Rushed deadlines further exacerbate the pressure, as expressed by 68.1% of workers. Feelings of underappreciation also weigh heavily on employees, contributing to mental fatigue. Lee Biggins of CV-Library stresses the detrimental stigma attached to stress, which deters open communication about mental health concerns in professional settings.
The study highlights inadequate coping strategies among employees, who often resort to speaking with friends or family (53.8%), but only a minority feel comfortable discussing these issues with their managers (23.5%). Alarmingly, unhealthy practices such as consuming alcohol (17%) and comfort eating, particularly among women (23.4%), are prevalent. This underscores the lack of supportive mechanisms in the workplace.
The repercussions of unaddressed stress are far-reaching, affecting not just employee productivity but overall well-being. Absence management expert Adrian Lewis emphasizes the failure of businesses to detect and mitigate stress symptoms, urging for systemic changes to normalize conversations about mental health at work. With nearly 16% of employees hesitant to disclose stress as a reason for absence, it is imperative to foster an environment where mental health is prioritized as much as physical health.
Addressing workplace stress effectively requires a cultural shift in how mental health is perceived and managed in professional environments.
