Workplace Stress Rife in Scotland

Shocking new figures from Samaritans have revealed that Scotland's workers are so stressed a quarter of them dream of quitting the country for a life abroad.

More than 20% have also taken time off sick due to work-related stress, an average six days every year, half say their jobs are getting more stressful and 32% feel work rules their lives.

These are the key findings of Samaritans' survey for Stress Down Day - on Friday February 1st - a national campaign to encourage people to take better care of their health at work and reduce currently damaging stress levels (www.stressdownday.org).

Samaritans' Scottish Development Manager Frances Simpson said: "Job related stress has a serious and unrecognised impact on the health of the nation and the economy, affecting concentration and efficiency. Thirteen million working days were lost to stress, depression and anxiety in 2005 at a staggering cost of 3.7 billion to UK plc.

"Positive workplaces are a big factor in keeping everyone emotionally healthy. There is not enough openness and that is what Stress Down Day is all about; encouraging employers and employees to speak out and discuss problems before they escalate."

To mark Stress Down Day, Samaritans has launched a pocket-sized 'emotional health card' encouraging people to 'Speak up, Step Up'. The idea behind the card, which were handed out at various locations throughout the country, is to urge people not to bottle up emotions and to share them with others where they can.

Stagecoach, one of the biggest bus operators in the UK, has thrown its weight behind the campaign and signed up as a main sponsor of the emotional health cards.

Steven Stewart, Director of Corporate Communications for Stagecoach Group, said: "We are delighted to be able to work closely with Samaritans for Stress Down Day. As a business, we take stress in the workplace very seriously and feel its important to be there to help people when they need it most."

More than half of Scottish workers have seen colleagues cry over pressure and 45% say their employers try to get as much work out of them as they possibly can even when they see they are already very stressed.

Almost three quarters of people feel unable to cope with distressed colleagues and 34% say employers do not take workplace stress seriously, turning a blind eye to the problem. Nearly four fifths of people are unable to approach anyone beyond their manager for support and 12% have no one to talk to about work pressures.

Samaritans is experienced in workplace issues and runs WorkLife, a training course to tackle stress in the workplace and provide practical skills for managers and team members. Log on to www.samaritans.org for more information. A CD-ROM of the course is also available.