Survey reveals that fears over job security
are increasing pressure on UK employees.
A growing number of UK workers are feeling under pressure at work as a result of the recession, new research has indicated.
Carried out by YouGov on behalf of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), the study found that 44 per cent of British employees feel more pressured since the economic downturn.
Job insecurity was shown to be the most common cause of workplace stress, with 65 per cent of those who felt under more pressure citing fears about their job as the reason.
Meanwhile, 29 per cent of respondents said that reduced earnings had increased the pressure on them in the workplace, while 17 per cent said they felt under more pressure due to longer hours spent in the office.
IOSH president Nattasha Freeman described the findings as proof that "a significant number of staff are worried about the impact the recession is having on them".
"The worry from these findings is that more people are getting trapped by the pressures of living to work, rather than working to live," she added.
Ms Freeman said that while a certain amount of pressure in the workplace can be a "positive motivator" for some people, too much will often have a negative impact on their performance.
"Being overly pressured can affect an individual's efficiency, frustrate teamwork and, on a personal level, it can impact on family life," she explained.
IOSH has urged employers to update their "health agenda" and support workers who may be feeling the strain.
A new website designed to combat work-related stress was recently launched by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which claims that 13.5 million days were lost to the problem in the UK last year.
- Access an online course about Managing & Handling Stress at Work and get started straight away.