Stress Report Mental stress at work

Stress Report 2013 shows significant stress factors in the workplace

31.01.2013

Stress at work is a common phenomenon. Loud „Stress Report Germany 2012“ The Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) are multitasking, heavy deadlines and pressure and constantly repetitive work processes and frequent disturbances during work, the most common triggers of enormous psychological pressure. The result is increased absenteeism due to mental illness, as recently were determined by several health insurance companies.

According to the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, stress at German jobs is still high, according to the current Stress Report. „Mental stress is still widespread in the German working world“, the BAuA communication on the occasion of the publication of the report. Know „the psychological burden neither hierarchical boundaries, nor does it stop at industrial sectors.“ However, factors such as a good social climate or a high degree of room for maneuver for employees in planning and executing their work can help to cope with the burden, the BAuA reports.

20,000 employees surveyed on working conditions
The stress report should be a statistically sound basis „for the current debate in Germany on the topic of mental stress“ at work, according to the communication from the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. For this purpose, about 20,000 employees were interviewed, for example, on working conditions, stress and health complaints. The data from the European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS 2010) were also included in the report. Fifty-eight percent of respondents have named multitasking as the cause of work-related stress, 52 percent have strong deadline and performance pressure, 50 percent have repetitive work processes, and 44 percent report frequent problems, the BAuA explains. The report gives „Understand trends in the evolution of working conditions, their potential impact on workers and the need for action“, the BAuA continues.

Recovery important for stress balance
The report also shows clear need for action on the subject of recovery, because in the meantime, let it be „One in four respondents will miss their statutory break, although recovery is important to their health and performance“, reports the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. With increasing working hours, the proportion of non-stop employees increases. With a weekly working time of 48 hours almost every second person works without complying with the break times. The BAuA sees its previous message underpinned by the numbers of the stress report: „Positively challenging work is conducive to health, well-being and mental fitness. The problem is work that is permanently overstrained“, this is the position of BAuA. For example, engineers and scientists are exposed to psychologically heavy burdens, but they form one of the occupational groups with the fewest health complaints. Because „Challenges at work and their successful coping have a fundamentally positive effect on mental health“, reports the BAuA.

Avoid excessive work hours, keep pauses
However, the Stress Report Germany 2012 also shows, „Isabel Rothe, President of the BAuA, emphasized that there is no off-the-peg solution, because there are too many differences between the individual sectors and professions, but the current data would reveal a need for action and provide important information, „where scope for action and support at work can be strengthened.“ Examples of possible starting points for stress reduction are also the extra-long working hours, the absence of breaks and the bottlenecks in reorganization processes, the BAuA president continued. The stress report also shows some positive aspects of everyday working life in Germany that can be further developed. Across industries and occupations, according to the BAuA „At least four out of five workers report a good social climate at work.“ They feel well supported by their colleagues, praising the collaboration and the sense of community. This also contributes to stress reduction. (Fp)

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