Workplace stress damages productivity
Research has suggested that work-related stress could be more damaging to productivity in the workplace than the 1970s strikes. *
Bernard Casey, of the University of Warwick's Institute for Employment Research, has reported that at the peak of industrial unrest in the 1970s, the UK lost around 12.9 million person days of output.
In comparison, work-related stress today costs the economy around 13.5 million person days.
Bernard Casey said: "The current recession is likely to intensify stress at work. Uncertainty, itself, breeds stress. Many organisations trying to survive by raising productivity will be putting their employees under increasing pressure. Moreover, fearing for their jobs, people who ought to be absent might choose, instead, to be present."
And the economic cost of presenteeism – people going to work when ill – may cost twice as much as short-term absenteeism.
Bernard added: "Recognition of the costs of work-related stress is useful in determining the efficiency of treatments – something in which NICE (the National Institute of Clinical Health and Excellence) has become much more interested of late. Recognition should also help structure initiatives which are supposed to pay special attention to mental health and work."
Employee assistance programmes can be a cost-effective way for employers to provide their workforce with access to counselling services.
Many of Westfield Health’s plans include a 24-hour freephone counselling and advice line, which enables policyholders to speak to a trained counsellor, lawyer or medical adviser at any time, day or night.
The staff are on hand to help policyholders deal with problems such as stress, debt, relationship difficulties and bereavement.
Some of Westfield’s corporate plans also offer up to six face-to-face counselling sessions, which give policyholders the opportunity to talk through issues in person.
More information about Westfield’s cash plans is available on this website.
© Westfield Health Insurance 2012
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