IWS Documented News INTERNATIONAL

IWS Documented News Service
_______________________________
Institute for Workplace Studies----------------- Professor Samuel B. Bacharach
School of Industrial & Labor Relations-------- Director, Institute for Workplace Studies
Cornell University
16 East 34th Street, 4th floor---------------------- Stuart Basefsky
New York, NY 10016 -------------------------------Director, IWS News Bureau
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European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions (Dublin Foundation)

European Working Conditons Observatory (EWCO)

COMPARATIVE STUDY

WORK-RELATED STRESS [19 November 2010]

http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/studies/tn1004059s/index.htm

or

http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/studies/tn1004059s/tn1004059s.htm

or

http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/docs/ewco/tn1004059s/tn1004059s.pdf

[full-text, 51 pages]

Executive Summary

http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/publications/htmlfiles/ef10751.htm

or

http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/pubdocs/2010/751/en/1/EF10751EN.pdf

This report examines the issue of work-related stress in the 27 EU Member States and Norway. Studies capturing data on work-related stress in individual countries differ in terms of their scope, methodology and coverage. The main risk factors for work-related stress include heavy workload, long working hours, lack of control and autonomy at work, poor relationships with colleagues, poor support at work and the impact of organisational change. These factors can be difficult to address, especially if they have resource implications. The main outcomes (individual, organisational and societal) of work-related stress include physical and mental health problems, absence from work, reduced quality of outputs, increased welfare and medical spending, and reduced productivity. Company-level examples of best practice in stress management highlight the need for good quality data on work-related stress, a robust stress policy, the involvement of all relevant actors, good communications, and the importance of buy-in from senior management.

The study was compiled on the basis of individual national reports submitted by the EWCO correspondents. The text of each of these national reports is available below. The reports have not been edited or approved by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions. The national reports were drawn up in response to a questionnaire and should be read in conjunction with it.

CONTENTS

Introduction

Monitoring work-related stress at national level: high heterogeneity between Member States

Risk factors for work-related stress

Outcomes of work-related stress

Work-related stress management interventions

HSE Management Standards

Public debate on managing stress caused by restructuring

Commentary

Bibliography

Annex: Main national surveys/studies on work-related stress

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This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service.

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Stuart Basefsky                   
Director, IWS News Bureau                
Institute for Workplace Studies 
Cornell/ILR School                        
16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor             
New York, NY 10016                        
                                   
Telephone: (607) 255-2703                
Fax: (607) 255-9641                       
E-mail: smb6@cornell.edu                  
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