Two Out Of Five Teachers Have Suffered Stress

More than two out of five teachers have suffered from stress-related illnesses, according to a new poll reported by the Workplace Law Network and carried out by Teachers TV – the digital channel for those working in education.

The findings will come as little surprise for those working in the sector. In 2007 ACM’s own survey of members into working time and related issues found that one in eight members had been diagnosed by a doctor as suffering from work related stress within the 12 month period before the survey was undertaken. In addition, four out of five reported their jobs as placing high demands in respect of workloads and targets (one of the HSE’s primary sources of stress).

Debt Worry Affects Health and Work Performance

Over a quarter of employees are worried about debt, with one in five reporting they are being kept awake at night by financial worries and over ten per cent saying their health was suffering as a result. Additionally, workers with fewer financial worries report better productivity at work than those with concerns.

The findings, which recommends that financial education programmes for staff should be more widespread and accessible, come from the Institute for Employment Studies and are reported on the Workplace Law Network.

Can Managers Affect Risk Of Heart Attack?

Members may be interested in this report from the Workplace Law Network concerning research linking the risk of heart attack to the competency of the line manager.

HSE Stress Workshop For Union Reps

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is running a free workshop for union representatives to help them better understand their role in managing the causes of work-related stress and protecting employee well-being. The event will be at the Victoria Plaza hotel, London, 25 November 2008.

Experienced HSE psychologists will host this free event, but places are limited. To apply for a place please see the HSE’s online booking form.

Stress and Overwork Top List of Concerns

Stress or overwork, injuries and illnesses caused by the poor use of display screen equipment and repetitive strain injuries (RSI) top the list of workers’ safety concerns, according to the TUC’s biennial survey of safety reps published today (Monday).

Three in five (60 per cent) safety reps reported stress or overwork as a concern in their workplace. Concerns about stress are most common in the public sector and in large workplaces, with the highest instances in central government (81 per cent), education (74 per cent) and health services (69 per cent).

Stress was cited as the biggest concern in ten of the 14 sectors covered by the survey. Manufacturing (noise), construction, distribution and hotels (back strains) and voluntary organisations (display screen equipment) reported other top hazards at work.

Injuries and illnesses resulting from the poor use of display screen equipment has risen from fourth in 2006 to become the second-most common concern, reported by two in five (41 per cent) safety reps. Repetitive strain injuries (40 per cent) are another commonly reported hazard.

Other concerns on the increase since the 2006 survey include slips, trips and falls (up six per cent), working alone (up three per cent) and violence and threats at work (up four per cent).

Workers in London are most concerned about stress (68 per cent), while workers in Yorkshire and East Anglia are most worried about working alone (38 per cent). Workers in the South East (33 per cent) and London (32 per cent) are significantly more concerned about violence and threats at work than the rest of the UK (26 per cent).

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: “Stress casts a gloomy shadow over far too many UK workplaces. And as the current economic crisis creates more anxiety about job security, stress is likely to increase.

“Unions and employers must work together to combat this as it can have a huge personal cost to workers and a damaging cost to businesses.

3.5 Million Bullied At Work

Three and a half million people (14 per cent or one in seven of the workforce) say they have been bullied in their current job according to a YouGov poll for the TUC published today (Friday). 21 per cent (one in five) say that bullying is an issue where they work.

Bullying is more likely in the public sector where 19 per cent say they have been bullied compared to 12 per cent in the private sector and eight per cent in the voluntary sector.

Surprisingly people in professional and associate professional jobs are the most likely to be bullied (16 per cent). This may reflect the large number of professional and associate professional jobs in the public sector such teaching, and across the NHS.

Men are more likely to be bullied (16 per cent) than women (12 per cent). 45-54 year olds (19 per cent), followed by 35-44 year olds (17 per cent) are the age groups most likely to be bullied. 25-34 year olds are the least bullied (8 per cent).

The East Midlands workforce is the most bullied at 18 per cent, with the East of England the least (eight per cent).

It is not the low paid who are most likely to say they are bullied. Those earning less than £20,000 report much less bullying than those earning between £20,000 and £60,000. (17 per cent). But among those earning above £60,000 only seven per cent say they are bullied.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: ‘This level of bullying at work is completely unacceptable. It is particularly disturbing that more people complain of bullying in the public sector. Every organisation needs to have an anti-bullying policy, and every manager should ensure that there is zero-tolerance of bullying either by line managers or workmates.’

Recognition and awareness of workplace bullying is essential if it is to be legitimately challenged. The TUC fully supports and endorses the work of the Andrea Adams Trust, who run a national annual campaign to raise awareness of the issue, culminating in Ban Bullying at Work Day held on 7 November.

Andrea Adams Trust Chief Executive Lyn Witheridge said: ‘We encourage every employer to become involved and use this opportunity to participate in the wide array of activities provided by the Ban Bullying at Work Day campaign.’