UK stress levels rise along with increased workloads

It is recognised that the UK workforce is now among the hardest working in the world and this work ethic results in the UK average working week being among the longest in Europe. However, being the hardest working does not necessarily lead to having the most productive staff.

The poll reveals some of the dangers that organisations face as employee stress levels rise along with workloads, and the recent the launch of the Samaritans training initiative in a bid to cut workplace stress is testament to this.

The telephone poll of 422 full time employees in the UK found that:

Two thirds (66%) say they have found themselves with more to do at work than they had in the previous 12-24 months. 39% of those whose workload has increased attributed the increase to strategic or directional changes at their organisations. Other reasons included:

Reorganisation 39%
Promotion and new responsibilities 31%
Organisationsí reluctance to hire additional staff, despite prospering 30%
New Technology 21%

Of those who have a heavier workload, 44% reported that it has negatively affected ñ and added stress to ñ their private lives. More than half of the female respondents reported this, compared to 40% of men.

Clearly, changing work environments ñ from employee sabbaticals to reorganisations ñ are creating stress that both the professional and personal life of employees.