Workplace stress 'a major concern'
10 Nov 2010
Workplace stress is a major concern for health and safety officials, a new study has found.
Research by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) revealed that more than three-fifths (62 per cent) of health and safety reps regard stress as one of the top five problems for their workforce.It was rated as a more pressing concern than bullying and harassment, back strains, slips, trips and falls, and working too much.
Physical and emotional strain is particularly seen as being a problem within the public sector, where 68 per cent of reps are concerned, with 54 per cent fearing stress in the private sector.
And the TUC study suggested that location also has a bearing on employee's state of mind in the workplace, with London (70 per cent) seeing a higher proportion of reps concerned about stress than anywhere else in the UK.
Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary, commented that stress can be caused by heavy workloads, cuts in staffing, long hours and bullying.
"The economic crisis and redundancies have created more anxiety about job security, and as the spending cuts begin to bite and even more jobs start to go, stress at work is bound to increase," he stated.
"Unions and employers must work together to combat stress at work as it can have a devastating impact on workers and a damaging cost on businesses."
_____