 "This New Year don't lose sleep over work")
Economic volatility has increased pressure on Indian workers with 71% reporting that they are seeing more stress-related illness since the downturn, suggests a survey from Regus, the global workplace provider.
The survey, canvassing the opinions of more than 20,000 senior executives and business owners across 95 countries, also found that in India stress is causing a worrying increase in absenteeism 56% damaging business productivity as well as worker well-being.
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Businesses however, can help change this trend as workers identified flexible working as critical to help ease work-related stress 79%.
Stress-related illness can worsen or cause a whole series of health conditions ranging from obesity to heart disease, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, depression, gastrointestinal problems and asthma, the survey said.
Sahil Verma, Chief Operating Officer–India, Regus said: “Workers are expected to do more with less, and this has taken its toll to the point many are close to burn-out. It’s not surprising that work-related worries and the sleepless nights they cause, are taking their toll on employees’ personal lives," adding that, "More importantly still, their health is at stake as stress is a known catalyst for a number of serious illnesses. Proactive businesses that address stress in their work force are likely to end up with a healthier work force and reduced absenteeism."
Other outcomes of the survey:
• 24% of respondents are worried about losing their job
• 32% feel less confident about the sector they work in
• 49% of respondents report that their family and friends have noticed they are stressed by work
• 53% say that stress is damaging their co-worker’s personal relationships