It’s been another busy week in stress.
It’s been another busy week in stress – with new developments including the following …
Business owners all over the world are much more stressed than just one year ago, according to Grant Thornton’s 2005 International Business Owners Survey. Research of more than 6,000 business owners in 24 countries shows that stress levels have rocketed by more than a third worldwide – a picture mirrored in the UK where the most common reasons cited for contributing to stress were regulation and red tape (37%); more demanding customer expectations (31%); concern about not spending enough time with friends and family (30%); and cash flow within the business / increased pressure on profit margins (26%)
Top of the international stress table are business owners in Taiwan where 69% of those questioned said their stress levels had increased or increased significantly in just one year. They were followed by Hong Kong (54%), Turkey (54%), Mexico (54%), India (53%), the Philippines (53%), Japan (51%), Russia (51%) and South Africa (50%). Business owners in every country surveyed reported stress levels up in 2004.
Teaching and social work have been ranked as the most stressful professions, according to new research. The occupations appeared in the top three for both poor psychological wellbeing and physical ill health caused by stress. Occupational psychologists also concluded that “emotional labour” involving face-to-face or telephone contact with clients, and sometimes the suppressing of emotions, was a central factor in what makes a job stressful. Other professions also found to involve high levels of stress were ambulance service employees, call centre staff, prison officers, clerical and administrative staff and police officers.
Helping to rehabilitate employees who have taken time off work due to stress or other mental health problems is a significant and growing challenge for employers. Research by the CIPD shows that more than half of employers reported an increase in stress-related absence last year. The length of time an individual is off work has a strong relationship to the likelihood of returning to work – with studies showing that after six months’ absence there is only a 50% chance that an employee will return to work; at 12 months this falls to 25%; and after two years there is practically no chance.
Ben Willmott, CIPD employee relations adviser, says: “Employers must do more than simply request and file a sick note if they are to cut absence. Managers should engage with their staff to get to the root of the problem and help staff to get back into the workplace. Employers need to have a clear rehabilitation policy in place. This will help to ensure staff are aware of available assistance and managers are clear about the role they play in the process.”
£300,000 of Government money is being made available for projects that help people who are suffering from stress in rural areas. Charity and voluntary groups and partnerships, at both national and local level, have until 9 February 2005 to submit applications for funding under the fifth Defra Rural Stress Action Plan. A second application window will be open after March. The Action Plan, which is administered by the Rural Stress Information Network, is aimed at helping rural people who are suffering from or are at risk of stress in four target groups: owners, occupiers and workers on the land; people who run small rural businesses and their employees; people with debt problems; and people at risk of suicide.
For informed comment or advice on any of the above, please contact us at: info@carolespiersgroup.com
Business owners all over the world are much more stressed than just one year ago, according to Grant Thornton’s 2005 International Business Owners Survey. Research of more than 6,000 business owners in 24 countries shows that stress levels have rocketed by more than a third worldwide – a picture mirrored in the UK where the most common reasons cited for contributing to stress were regulation and red tape (37%); more demanding customer expectations (31%); concern about not spending enough time with friends and family (30%); and cash flow within the business / increased pressure on profit margins (26%)
Top of the international stress table are business owners in Taiwan where 69% of those questioned said their stress levels had increased or increased significantly in just one year. They were followed by Hong Kong (54%), Turkey (54%), Mexico (54%), India (53%), the Philippines (53%), Japan (51%), Russia (51%) and South Africa (50%). Business owners in every country surveyed reported stress levels up in 2004.
Teaching and social work have been ranked as the most stressful professions, according to new research. The occupations appeared in the top three for both poor psychological wellbeing and physical ill health caused by stress. Occupational psychologists also concluded that “emotional labour” involving face-to-face or telephone contact with clients, and sometimes the suppressing of emotions, was a central factor in what makes a job stressful. Other professions also found to involve high levels of stress were ambulance service employees, call centre staff, prison officers, clerical and administrative staff and police officers.
Helping to rehabilitate employees who have taken time off work due to stress or other mental health problems is a significant and growing challenge for employers. Research by the CIPD shows that more than half of employers reported an increase in stress-related absence last year. The length of time an individual is off work has a strong relationship to the likelihood of returning to work – with studies showing that after six months’ absence there is only a 50% chance that an employee will return to work; at 12 months this falls to 25%; and after two years there is practically no chance.
Ben Willmott, CIPD employee relations adviser, says: “Employers must do more than simply request and file a sick note if they are to cut absence. Managers should engage with their staff to get to the root of the problem and help staff to get back into the workplace. Employers need to have a clear rehabilitation policy in place. This will help to ensure staff are aware of available assistance and managers are clear about the role they play in the process.”
£300,000 of Government money is being made available for projects that help people who are suffering from stress in rural areas. Charity and voluntary groups and partnerships, at both national and local level, have until 9 February 2005 to submit applications for funding under the fifth Defra Rural Stress Action Plan. A second application window will be open after March. The Action Plan, which is administered by the Rural Stress Information Network, is aimed at helping rural people who are suffering from or are at risk of stress in four target groups: owners, occupiers and workers on the land; people who run small rural businesses and their employees; people with debt problems; and people at risk of suicide.
For informed comment or advice on any of the above, please contact us at: info@carolespiersgroup.com
posted by Carole Spiers @ Monday, January 24, 2005
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