Workplace stress takes its toll

Date: 16 June 2006
Source: One News

Work is officially making more New Zealanders sick than ever before and our working hours are the second-highest in the world.

Since the Health and Safety Act was changed to recognise stress in the workplace three years ago, the number of employees lodging complaints has risen. In the first year 54 people filed complaints, the following year that figure jumped to 153. Last year complaints dropped slightly to 136. Excessive workload is cited as a major cause, but bullying is often named as the main culprit.

Business New Zealand Chief Executive Phil O'Reilly says employers take the issue seriously.

"Really communication is the key - employers talking to workers, trying to make sure they understand what needs to be done and what doesn't need to be done, and workers also talking to their bosses."

Health and Safety's chief advisor Mike Cosman says people need to monitor their stress levels.

"We're not there about saying all stress is bad but too much stress is potentially harmful to people so we want them to start thinking about stress in the context of how they manage other hazards."

Clinical psychologist Dr Mary Miller says there is growing pressure on people to earn more and be seen to succeed.

"It's very easy to get seduced into believing that if everybody else has a four-by-four in their drive why don't I have one in mine? Everybody else has a home entertainment centre why don't I have one? They get to go off on vacation why shouldn't I go off on vacation?"

The Department of Labour statistics show that New Zealanders work more hours than every other developed country in the world, apart from Japan.

The department says a healthy work-life balance and positive working environment are the best ways to guarantee our jobs give us satisfaction rather than make us ill.

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