New research has suggested that millions of UK workers are likely to be suffering from depression and panic attacks because they are becoming stressed by their jobs. The latest 24-7 survey (a research project carried out by the Work Life Balance Centre and the universities of Keele, Coventry and Wolverhampton) found that two thirds of employees had been made ill by work, with 48% suffering from depression and 43% experiencing anxiety or panic attacks. Eight in ten of those asked said they had a problem juggling the competing demands of work and home, with the same amount feeling they cannot cope with the demands placed upon them.
Long hours could be one reason for such stress, with the survey highlighting that many people work over their contracted hours in order to keep up with their workloads. In fact one in ten works a minimum of 49 hours a week, while only one in 100 is contracted to do so. Julie Hurst, Director of the Work Life Balance Centre said, "Our relationship with work continues to be a complex one. On the one hand people have reported many positives about enjoying their jobs. At the same time however the levels of depression and anxiety have become a silent epidemic in the workplace, and yet there is so much that can be done to reduce both problems."
Stress has become a problem for employers that is impossible to ignore, especially considering the number of high pay out cases over the last few years. Recent Health and Safety Executive (HSE) research has suggested that an employer's behaviour can have a major impact on employees' stress levels, which in turn affects their wellbeing and performance. New guidance has been published to help employers tackle these issues, which highlights 19 key management behaviours that play a vital role in preventing, identifying and tackling stress effectively.
