Should companies do more to reduce job-related stress? Work can make you sick and shorten your life, argues Jeffrey Pfeffer, a business professor at Stanford. That is bad news for companies and employee health. The problem is particularly acute in America, considering that as many as 80% of American workers suffer from high levels of stress in their jobs, according to a survey entitled “Attitudes in the American Workplace”. In his latest book, “Dying for a Paycheck”, Mr Pfeffer calculates that work-related issues may be responsible for as many as 120,000 American deaths a year. Mr Pfeffer reckons that the lack of health insurance for everyone, and its limited nature if firms provide it, is the biggest contributor to America’s higher work-related death rate. He is also critical of America’s management culture, in which firms are quicker than peers elsewhere to shed labour. Both employees and companies should be worried. Workers in poor health are less productive; they also tend to leave work, meaning higher staff turnover. What do you think? Could companies do more to prevent stress at work? What steps could they take? Read our column on the stress that kills American workers: https://econ.st/2uJVwnr Join the conversation and make your voice count.
Supporting somes pressure makers is not a kind of clever one made. Stress Provider will stop all functional working programs , routine productivity and collaborative brainstrom.
Stress kill and is not good at all to work on pressure
Precisely, reduce stress at work is one of employees needs. Lately we’ve heard x company in Iceland (I think) They have reduced the working hours and give their employees one more day off which mean 4 days working hours & 3 days weekend, this kind of reduce stress by spend more time with our family, friends to release pressure and create much of productivity & loyalty to the company.
Our biology means we need our stress response to meet a new challenge. The problem is today that challenge isnt so much a physical threat but 1000s of emails and unrelenting demands. We're also designed to move. Work side by side. Eat as a community. Keep strong and trusted relationships with friends and family. I don't think it's about blaming employers its about helping them see the benefits of wellbeing and the ROI when you get it right. More productivity. More trust from employees. More talent retention. Better managers. Lower stress levels. It's not about a single intervention its a cultural and social issue about allowing more control, flexibility and engagement etc. This can be outlined in a wellness strategy with special attention on stress mgt for CEO -2 to -4. They set the working culture for lower managers and operatives which is where most of the stress and mental health issues can be found. I hope this helps. Please contact me if you want to know more.
Absolutely! Lots of employers need to come to the realization that the world of work is changing and employees need to be cared for. Stress and ill health have nothing positive to offer the companies and it would be nice if they took a step back from chasing just profit to also promoting employee wellbeing.
Yes! Absolutely! European companies advertise their highly rated work life balance to their employees. Minimum vacation time is 21 days and this does not include any holidays and extra time they get for different reasons besides vacation.
Taylor, K
5y
Smarter Working helps.
Yes, I think companies undoubtedly can prevent the level of stress for their employees. First of all, it can be achieved by creating a lean friendly atmosphere, sense of a consistent supporting team where there is no judgement, nor dumping the responsibility on one person, nor badgering bossy chiefs, but just a total trust and confidence. Actually I have such team at my company, so I can call myself a happy employee =)
Sure : sont created it ;-)
PGME Faculty Trainer at The Royal College of Surgeons of England
5yOf course every busy organisation has stressful times and deadlines. Stress isn’t bad for us, however chronic stress is. Stress is a very personal reaction making it challenging to address with policies, procedures, HOWEVER what organisations need is a strategy and culture that allows people to recognise that they are struggling and voice this without fear of retribution or judgment or being looked over for promotion. It needs to be integrated into team meetings, appraisal and training. Accepting that employees are more important than profits is key here, and indeed research has shows that happy employees increase productivity and therefore profit - it’s a no brainier really 🤔🙋