Employers dismiss stress fears

Many workers with stress related diseases sue their employers

One in five of the UK workforce says that stress is the single biggest barrier to improved productivity.

And yet, hardly any employers believe them.

Just one in 10 bosses believe that stress has a negative impact on output, according to a survey by the training and development standards developer, Investors in People.

"I just think they're in denial," the company's chief executive Ruth Spellman told BBC News Online.

Legal stress

The failure of employers to recognise the impact of stress on a company's efficiency may seem surprising, given that stress causes more staff absences than the common cold.

Stress at work:

Nine in 10 employers do not see stress as having a negative impact on output

One in five workers say stress is the single most important barrier to efficiency improvements

Source: Investors in People

Companies that do not recognise stress as a problem could even find themselves in court.

Two in three people suffer from stress at work and stress-related illnesses are becoming increasingly common, the survey said.

Consequently, more staff are suing their employers for compensation than ever before, Investors in People said.

Stressed bosses

There are two key reason why so many managers do not recognise stress as a problem.

Who are affected by stress:

The information technology industry is most affected by stress

Management jobs, whether executive, middle or junior, are the most stressful

Small firms are more likely to see stress as a threat to productivity than large ones

Source: Investors in People

"A lot of executives put themselves under pressure," said Ms Spellman.

Therefore, they are loath to tolerate what they often see as shirking by their staff, she said.

"They imagine that the more pressure they apply, the more productive their workforce will become."

Consequently, employees will often "conceal" their suffering from stress because they are afraid of not being identified as high-flyers, Ms Spellman said.

Training and support

Clearly, employers do not actually aim to make their staff more stressed.

But as long as they do not see it as a threat to productivity, it will remain difficult to convince them to spend money on training and other stress-beating projects.

Start small is the advice Ms Spellman would give: Talk to staff, try to understand their situation, offer them greater flexibility.

Beating stress is not necessarily a costly affair, she said.