Employees say they are too stressed to be effective
In an economy where many organizations are doing more with less, workers say they’re plagued by stress, sometimes even debilitatingly so. In the latest StressPulse survey from employee assistance program provider ComPsych, two-thirds or respondents reported dealing with high stress levels and 29 percent said they come to work too stressed to be effective on five or more days per year.
“Many employees have reached a point of unprecedented burnout,” said Dr. Richard A. Chaifetz, Chairman and CEO of ComPsych. “Forward-thinking employers are seeking to alleviate stress and help employees get refocused by providing seminars on coping with stress as well as support through employee assistance and work-life programs,” he added.
Key Findings of StressPulse:
- Almost one-third (29 percent) of employees comes to work five or more days per year when too stressed to be effective, up from 19 percent in the same category last year.
- Workers continue to have sustained, high stress levels – 66 percent in this category, compared with 68 percent last year.
- Workload remains the top cause of stress, followed by people issues, juggling work/personal life and lack of job security.
The StressPulse survey asked respondents about their stress levels, the causes of stress, the impact of stress upon effectiveness and other factors. The results are as follows: (Details in parentheses indicates point change from 2010)
Stress Levels
66% – Have high levels of stress, with extreme fatigue/feeling out of control (-2)
30% – Have constant but manageable stress levels (+3)
19% – Have low stress levels (-1)
Work Priorities
60% – See accomplishing basic responsibilities as most important (+5)
21% – See performance improvement as most important (+3)
19% – See being present as most important (-8)
Causes of Stress
40% – Cite workload (+5)
33% – Cite people issues (0)
18% – Cite juggling work and personal life (+6)
9% – Cite lack of job security (-11)
Impact of Stress Upon Daily Productivity
45% – Lose 15 – 30 minutes per day in productivity due to stress (+13)
34% – Lose 1 hour or more per day in productivity due to stress (-10)
21% – Report productivity is unaffected by stress (-3)
Impact of Stress Upon Attendance
52% – Miss 1 to 2 days per year due to stress (+1)
30% – Miss 3 to 6 days per year due to stress (+3)
18% – Miss more than 6 days per year due to stress (-4)
Impact of Stress Upon Effectiveness
47% – Come to work 1 to 4 days per year when too stressed to be effective (-17)
29% – Come to work 5 or more days per year when too stressed to be effective (+10)
24% – Say stress does not impact effectiveness (+7)
Impact of Personal Tasks Upon Daily Productivity
39% – Lose less than 30 minutes per day due to personal tasks (-5)
42% – Lose 30 minutes per day due to personal tasks (+5)
19% – Lose more than 1 hour per day due to personal tasks (0)
Most Common Reasons for Absences
48% – Cite stress and personal relationship issues (+2)
42% – Cite medical reasons/illness (self) (+7)
10% – Cite caregiving responsibilities (-9)
Coping Strategies for Stress
52% – Take frequent “stress breaks” at work to talk with others (-10)
35% – Work harder (+9)
13% – Take a day off (+1)
You might also be interested in: Recognizing the signs of burn out
