The Guardian published a feature recently on how the effects of stress at work have now overtaken other reasons, such as repetitive strain injury and cancer, as the commonest cause for long term sick leave. The story was based upon a recent survey by the Chartered Institute for Personnel and Development (CIPD) into how organisations attempt to manage absence, promote health and well-being at work and the impact of the economic climate on employee absence rates.
The report highlights the strong links between job security and stress levels, with employers that are planning redundancies most likely to see a rise in mental health problems among staff. Such problems appear particularly acute in the shrinking public sector with half of employers reporting an increase in stress-related absence over the past year.
The report praised many workplaces for increasing their focus on worker well-being despite squeezed budgets. Counselling services were being offered by almost three-quarters of the 592 employers surveyed. But CIPD adviser Jill Miller seized on evidence of the downturn’s repercussions for mental health to urge employers to do more to reassure nervous staff.
You can read the full survey here by following this link (registration is required).
Read how employers can help employees to better manage stress by following this link.
