Stress 'is top cause of workplace sickness' and is so widespread it's dubbed the 'Black Death of the 21st century'

Stress has become the most common reason for a worker being signed off long-term sick, a report reveals today. 

Experts said the psychological condition had become so widespread that it was the ‘21st century equivalent of the Black Death’. 

Stress has even eclipsed stroke, heart attack, cancer and back problems, according to the report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Pressure: Stress has become the commonest cause of absence from work

Jill Miller, an adviser to the institute, says the report ‘highlights the heightened pressure many people feel under in the workplace as a result of the prolonged economic downturn’.

Stress was found to be especially common at firms that have announced redundancies.

Long-term absence is defined as taking four weeks or more off at one time because of sickness.

 

Cary Cooper, the co-author of a recent book about stress, The Science of Occupational Health, drew a distinction between pressure and stress.

He says the former is ‘stimulating and motivating’ but becomes stressful when ‘it exceeds your ability to cope with it’. 

Professor Cooper, who is based at the Lancaster University management school, said stress was signalled by changes in behaviour.

Typically, these include finding it difficult to focus, losing your sense of humour or losing your temper more quickly than normal.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2045309/Stress-Top-cause-workplace-sickness-dubbed-Black-Death-21st-century.html#ixzz1ZwMvQAb8