Workplace stress has come to be almost a given in our society, as if it’s just something we must live with, like the weather. Lots of research gets done — and discussed — but how many of us even try to do something about it?
We believe that the consequences of ignoring the problem and the rewards for mitigating it are so huge that inaction just isn’t an option anymore.
The first step towards a solution is awareness. So, in keeping with the theme of this month, we present some startling numbers that show how severely stress impacts both workers and the businesses that employ them.
1. 94% of U.S. workers report having work-related stress.
23% said their stress level was high; 6% said unreasonably high; only 6% had no stress.
— Wrike 2019 Stress in the Workplace Survey
2. Work is the #1 source of stress for Americans.
(#2 is money, #3 is health, #4 is relationships.)
— American Psychological Association
3. 77% of all adults regularly experience physical symptoms and 73% have psychological symptoms caused by stress.
— American Psychological Association
4. Chronic stress is linked to the 6 leading causes of death.
(Heart disease, cancer, lung ailments, accidents, cirrhosis of the liver and suicide.)
— American Psychological Association
5. Stress and anxiety affect productivity and coworker relations more than any other factor.
— Anxiety and Depression Association of America
6. 76% of US workers said that workplace stress affected their personal relationships.
— Korn Ferry 2018 survey
7. Work-related stress causes 120,000 deaths and $190 billion in healthcare costs every year.
— Center for Workplace Mental Health
8. About 1 million American workers call out sick because of stress every day.
— American Institute of Stress
9. Workers who take sick days due to mental health issues are 7X more likely to have further absences than those with physical health problems.
— UK Mental Health Foundation
10. Job stressors have a direct influence on the risk of accidents and injury in the workplace.
— National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
So, these are some pretty scary conditions we must “just live with like the weather,” right?
Wrong. We don’t just live with the weather — we have buildings, vehicles, clothes and climate control devices that protect us from all but the most extreme events. Humans have been very successful at solving the weather problem; there’s no reason we can’t do the same with stress management.
In future blogs, we’ll talk about ways for both employees and employers to reduce stress and create a happier, healthier, more profitable work environment.
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