Workplace stress remains endemic across UK, says study

As an industry we’ve made great strides in awareness of workplace wellbeing and have implemented many measures to improve it, but data shows that across all industries 91% of UK workers have faced ‘high or extreme levels’ of pressure or stress over the past year.

Not only that, but one in five UK workers needed to take time off work in the past year due to the impact of this stress on their mental health.

How do we know this? Well, Instant Offices analysed the Google search behaviour of employees worldwide to establish the most burnt-out cities, and London tops the list, followed by Melbourne, Singapore and New York.

In both Singapore and New York, a culture of overwork is taking its toll. 47% of workers in Singapore feel mentally and/or physically exhausted at the end of their workday, and more than two in five workers are finding it increasingly difficult to find motivation to do their work.

In the US, workplace stress is also at worrying levels, with 57% of US workers experiencing negative impacts from work-related stress, including emotional exhaustion, lower productivity and lack of motivation.

Despite Australia’s reputation as a laid-back country, two major cities from Down Under, Melbourne and Sydney, made it into the top five. This, the report surmises, is likely due to the phenomenon of the ‘Great Australian Burnout’: a recent Gallup study showed that 48% of Australian workers experience daily stress, and 64% are not engaged at work.

These are the top 10 cities globally Googling terms around burn out:

So, what can we do about it? The World Health Organisation recognises burnout as an “occupational phenomenon” resulting from chronic, unmanaged workplace stress. According to the WHO, three dimensions characterise burnout:

·         Energy depletion or exhaustion

·         Feelings of negativity, cynicism or increased mental distance from one’s job

·         Lower professional efficacy

These are the factors that UK workers say cause them the most stress, according to the Instant Offices study:

·         54%: A high workload or increase in unpaid tasks

·         45%: Regularly working unpaid overtime

·         42%: Feeling isolated at work

·         40%: Worries about redundancy/job security

·         38%: Taking on additional paid work to cope with the cost of living crisis

·         31% Bullying or intimidation by colleagues

Lifestyle stressors like poor sleep, poor physical health, and financial worries also contribute to burnout among Brits.Common signs of burnout include:

·         Difficulty concentrating

·         Less sense of pride in your work

·         Losing sight of your goals

·         Loss of motivation

·         Frustration and irritability

·         Unexplained headaches or muscle tension

·         Fatigue

·         Changes in appetite or sleep habits

Want to find out more about mental Health & wellbeing in the workplace? Empower Up has an entire section dedicated to the subject here.

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