Are women under more stress at work than men? According to a survey focusing on workplace stress, they definitely are, by a large margin.
The study, produced by Keas, provider of health and engagement platforms for the workplace, found that four in 10 workers reported experiencing an above-average amount of stress at work, regardless of their age. When the data was sorted by gender, however, 72 percent of working women reported experiencing above-average on-the-job stress – compared to just 28 percent of men.
Lack of sleep may be a major issue for managers of over-stressed employees. Of the 762 employees surveyed, 41 percent of all workers surveyed said they don't get sufficient sleep at night, with 24 percent blaming work for their insomnia.
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When sorted by age group, Keas reported that across all worker generations, the four-in-10 average prevailed. Of the millennials and baby boomers surveyed, 40 percent claimed they suffered from too much work stress.
Above-average stress leads to many more symptoms that undermine employees' job performance, Keas said. Among the effects of stress, as reported by the survey group:
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Stress leads to disengagement. More than three in four employees reported feeling unenthusiastic/disengaged or only generally satisfied with their job.
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Drinking to wind down. Sixty-six percent say they regularly drink alcohol (beer, wine or liquor/cocktails) .
On the other hand, if employee stress can just be dialed back from "above average" to "average," workers felt happier on the job, more engaged and more productive. Consider these response numbers from those with average work stress:
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48 percent say they are excited about and engaged in their jobs, and only 2 percent are disengaged.
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96 percent say they're happy at work and 79 percent say they're generally or extremely happy in life.
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30 percent are getting enough sleep every night and only 8 percent say work issues keep them awake.
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40 percent who have average stress levels say they don't drink alcohol.
"Employee stress needs to be a greater part of the conversation around workplace health," said Josh Stevens, Keas CEO. "As employers re-evaluate their health programs for employees and begin developing a culture of health, they must also consider how stress prevention fits into the bigger picture. Major health issues associated with stress cause problems that ultimately affect the bottom line. Identifying what causes stress and providing resources to help mitigate the negative effects can be the difference between a healthy, engaged and productive workforce and the less-than-ideal alternative."
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Dan Cook
Dan Cook is a journalist and communications consultant based in Portland, OR. During his journalism career he has been a reporter and editor for a variety of media companies, including American Lawyer Media, BusinessWeek, Newhouse Newspapers, Knight-Ridder, Time Inc., and Reuters. He specializes in health care and insurance related coverage for BenefitsPRO.
