By 2030, depression may be the most common disease in the world. At the same time, according to the report of the Safe at Work Coalition, nearly 40 percent employees and employers are frequently or daily stressed at work. This may affect employees’ health problems and absenteeism at work, and as a result, generate significant costs for both the employee and the employer.

The report „Employee well-being, i.e. well-being at work” by the Safe at Work Coalition shows that 38% of employees experience stress at work often or even every day. employees and 40 percent employers’ representatives. Most often, employee stress is caused by unplanned additional tasks, the number of responsibilities or imposed deadlines for completing tasks. Both employers’ representatives and employees attribute the same effects to stress – reduced efficiency and deterioration of relationships within the company.

– Neither the supervisor’s assessment nor the boss’s behavior were among the most stressful stimuli presented by the respondents. It is worth adding that stress is felt equally strongly and often by both employees and employers. In the case of both groups, it negatively affects their well-being, as well as work efficiency and accident rates. The results of our study unanimously indicate that employers are responsible for combating stress at work. 46% think so. employees and 66 percent employers – says Marta Wojewnik, chairwoman of the Safe at Work Coalition and managing director of CWS Workwear.

According to employees, the atmosphere in the team (39%) and in the company (32%) has the greatest impact on reducing stress at work. However, among the factors that can effectively reduce the employee’s stress level, employers mainly indicate a comfortable work environment (34%). The atmosphere in the team came second (31%), and the atmosphere in the company came third (30%).

According to data from the Social Insurance Institution, in 2022, sickness absence due to mental and behavioral disorders amounted to a total of 23.8 million days, which is 10%. total number of days of absence due to all diseases. The majority (62%) of days of sickness absence due to mental and behavioral disorders occur among women. Among individual age groups, the highest number of days of sickness absence due to mental and behavioral disorders concerns insured persons aged 30-39 (30.4% of the total number of days of sickness absence in this group) and 40-49 years (28.8%). ), and the smallest – groups 60 years and older (6%) and up to 29 years (16%).

– Stress in the workplace can generate significant costs for both the employee and the employer, including: with lower efficiency and quality of work, absenteeism, the need to provide replacements or work overtime. It also increases the expenses of the social security system, which are borne by the general public participating in this system – points out Bartosz Gaca, deputy director of the Department of Prevention and Rehabilitation, Social Insurance Institution. He adds: – Therefore, preventive actions are needed by various stakeholders, both at the level of the social insurer and other governmental and non-governmental organizations, but also at the level of employers and employees themselves. The research for the report was conducted between June 16 and July 3, 2023 by SW RESEARCH Market and Opinion Research Agency. Telephone interviews (CATI) were conducted with employers’ representatives (N=204). The group of employees (N=1072) consists of people outside the management staff, employed in companies selected for the study in order to reflect the structure of industries in the Polish economy. Online interviews (CAWI) were conducted with employees.

Source:https://www.prawo.pl/kadry/ilu-pracownikow-i-pracodawcow-stresuje-sie-w-pracy-badanie,523451.html

Supported by Norway through Norway Grants 2014-2021, in the frame of the Programme “Social Dialogue – Decent Work”.