Partner Article

Stress costs economy 13.5m work days

Stress among workers is costing Britain’s economy more than crippling strikes did in the 1970s, new research has suggested.

Rising levels of mental illness mean today’s labour force is taking more sick days and being less productive than three decades ago.

The situation costs the economy about 13.5million working days a year.

Warwick University’s Dr Bernard Casey, who carried out the research, said: “These alarming figures show how new technology has changed the nature of people’s jobs.

“Computers mean they can be monitored more and made to work to tighter deadlines which can take its toll.”

Dr Casey said stress was damaging the economy through absenteeism and people leaving the workforce through mental illness.

And ‘presenteeism’ - when people turn up for work ill - could be having double the detrimental effect of sick days, he added.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .