August 17, 2010
Men are four times more likely to take days off work suffering from stress-related illnesses, new research has found.
Medicash’s recent survey of over 3,000 workers found that 20% of men admitted to skipping at least two day’s work over the past month due to stress. In total, a third (31%) of women and 24% of men said they often felt stressed in the workplace.
For women, dealing with difficult customers or clients is the most common trigger, whereas men listed a heavy workload as the most common problem. Outside of the office, both sexes said rudeness and bad manners were the most likely factors to get them worked up and angry.
“Small amounts of pressure at work can enhance our performance but if that pressure becomes unremitting it can seriously affect our health,” claims Medicash Chief Executive, Sue Weir.
“Regularly feeling stressed can lead to sickness, long-term absenteeism and even a dependence on alcohol or drugs. Incorporating healthy eating and exercise into your daily routine and talking to someone about how you feel can help towards counteracting the effects of stress.”
Headaches were listed as the number one symptom of stress amongst both sexes, with 69% of women suffering compared to 45% of men. 57% of women and 40% of men also reported problems sleeping.
“Workplace stress can be damaging on any level, affecting both the employee and employer,” added Ms Weir. “Bosses have a duty of care and responsibility to look after their workforce and have systems in place to address stress at work.
"Encouraging a work/life balance, having open channels of communication between staff and managers, and providing access to counselling services are some of the things employers can do to combat stress.”
