Businesses unite to combat workplace stress

01/02/2008

Companies across the UK will be assigning chill out zones and switching off emails today to raise money and awareness for the Samaritans Stress Down Day.

The charity wants to raise awareness of the prevalence of workplace stress and address the stigma which is compelling thousands of workers to suffer in silence.

According to the European Union (EU), work-related stress affects 40 million workers within its member states, at a cost of at least €20bn a year.

In the UK alone the impact on staff productivity costs £3.7bn a year, the Samaritans said, with a third of workers suffering from anxiety-induced insomnia and three-quarters finding it impossible to switch off from work at the end of the day.

A recent survey by the Samaritans also found that over 80% of employees said they would rather say they were sick than admit they were stressed if things had got so bad that they needed to take time off.

As a result, employers are today being asked to encourage workers to speak out when they feel under pressure and take steps to ensure their staff are not being overloaded.

TV presenter Graham Norton, who is supporting the Samaritans’ campaign, commented: “I did work with a nightmare boss once who everyone hated but the frightening moment now is when you realise ‘Oh my gosh, I am the boss! I am the one they go home and complain about!”

As part of today’s activities, workers are being sponsored to turn off emails for a couple of hours, selling detoxing smoothies in the office and businesses are creating chill out zones for staff to hire out throughout the day.