Dublin — Jan. 2

Recent studies suggest that workplace stress is on the rise. This is reportedly largely because people do not feel confident about their employment future. With job security down, it is harder for people to take sick days when they need them or to take a break when stressful situations arise.

Unfortunately, the result is increased levels of stress that eventually require longer periods of sickness to treat. The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development recently commissioned a study on absence levels in the workplace, finding that average sick days for working people have fallen from 7.7 a year to 6.8 a year per employee.

However, the argument is not that people are healthier nowadays, but people are putting up with more in the name of job security. Jill Miller, lead member of the study’s research team, points out that employers need to have a "proactive approach to supporting employee well-being" to avert further stress and anxiety problems.

Source: Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development