Stress jumps to top of sickness-absence chart
Oct 25, 2011
For the first time, stress has topped the list of reasons for long-term sickness absence amongst both manual and non-manual employees, according to the latest absence management survey from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD).
For manual workers stress is now level with acute medical conditions, and has superseded musculoskeletal problems, to become the chief cause of longterm absence. Amongst non-manual staff, stress has moved ahead of acute medical conditions.
The survey also reveals a close connection between job security and mental health problems. More than half of employers planning to make redundancies in the next six months reported an increase in mental health problems amongst their staff. However, of those employers that are not planning job cuts, just under a third reported an increase in mental health issues.
Organisations preparing to make redundancies were also more likely to witness a rise in presenteeism (32 per cent, compared with 27 per cent of those who had no redundancies planned). Those respondents that had noted an increase in presenteeism were also more likely to report a rise in stress related absence over the same period (49 per cent compared with 33 per cent of those who did not report an increase in people coming to work ill).
A CIPD spokesperson said: “To a large degree, managing stress is about effective leadership and people management, particularly during periods of major change and uncertainty.
“Line managers need to focus on regaining the trust of their employees and openly communicating throughout the change process, to avoid unnecessary stress and potential absences. They also need to be able to spot the early signs of people being under excessive pressure, or having difficulty coping at work, and to provide appropriate support.”
TUC General Secretary, Brendan Barber said too many employers take stress lightly. “These figures show that the cuts, job losses, restructurings and pay inequalities are having more than just an economic effect,” he explained. “They are having a serious impact on people's health. Unfortunately, there is still a tendency among many employers to think of it as ‘just stress’ but this is a real issue, which can devastate people’s lives and tear apart families.”
More than a quarter of organisations (29 per cent) – including more than two-fifths in the public sector – said they have increased their focus on employee well being and health promotion as a result of the impact of the economic turbulence.
A spokesperson for Simplyhealth, which conducted the survey in partnership with the CIPD, said: “With many organisations looking for ways to save money, employee health and well-being shouldn’t be overlooked and should remain at the heart of the company. Benefits that engage employees do not have to be expensive. By introducing a recognition scheme, or equipping leaders with the skills they need to care for the health and well being of their teams, employers can make small, affordable changes that make a positive difference.”
