The shocking and tragic statistic of 10 suicides from one (admittedly large) factory in China since January reminds us that, for some, work can resemble a living hell. This is embarrassing for the factory owners, the Chinese authorities and the western multinationals who have been using China's Foxconn to make their gadgets. As we await the investigation at France Telecom, where there was a recent spate of suicides, does this have any relevance for UK workplaces and UK employers?
The UK workplace may not be as tough as it was 150 years ago at the height of the Industrial Revolution when England's mills and factories were the scenes of unmitigated misery and stress. Yet the Work Foundation's research shows that increasing numbers of people have been reporting work strain, considering themselves oppressed by mediocre management, the need for higher levels of skills and unsympathetic customers. Nor do these findings pertain to the so-called Anglo-Saxon economies. Across Europe workers report the same things. Workplace stress is as much alive today in the west as it is in the east.
People at work who suffer with stress are more prone to heart disease and hypertension. They are more susceptible to depressive illnesses and anxiety. And people with existing physical conditions, such as back pain, or chronic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, are more likely to find it difficult to stay in, or return to, work.
Of course the way pressure affects people differs between individuals. What some find stressful, others find energising, so it isn't possible to generalise about the causes or cures for stress. However, people who work in jobs they enjoy, where they have high levels of autonomy or control over the order and pace of their work and who are working in a supportive environment tend to be less at risk from work-related stress. If they feel stressed it is important that they do not "bottle" it up but find somebody – inside or outside work – who they can talk to about how they feel and what is at the root of their problem. Employee Assistance Programmes (EAP) offer such advice and help.
Line managers also need to be trained to spot the early signs of anxiety or poor coping among their staff and then refer people to HR or to an occupational health specialist.
Only a minority of cases of stress suffered by workers are solely caused by work itself. More often, domestic, financial or other health issues are the primary cause, with pressure at work being the last straw. Being able to integrate work with life is thus a key determinant of how much work stress people will experience.
Many employers now recognise that staff who feel able to balance the demands of work and home are more engaged, productive and motivated.
Absenteeism costs the UK economy 50 times more than strikes. Much of this is long term and much of that is due to stress. Yet a report we published last month shows that "sickness presence" could be costing the UK more than sickness absence in lost productivity. It does not pay to create a workplace environment where colleagues who are ill feel compelled to come in and work. No matter how high productivity rates in any factory, there can't be a higher cost of stress than suicide. Stephen Bevan
Stephen Bevan is managing director of the Work Foundation– theworkfoundation.com
