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Work related stress can be defined as the harmful physical and emotional response caused by an imbalance between the perceived demands and the perceived resources and abilities of individuals to cope with them.
Work related stress can be defined as the harmful physical and emotional response caused by an imbalance between the perceived demands and the perceived resources and abilities of individuals to cope with those demands (ILO 2016 (pdf))(WHO 2003 (pdf)).
Work-related stress can also emerge from a perception of imbalance of not being sufficiently rewarded for one’s efforts and contributions or receiving less than expected in terms of payment, esteem and job security (Eurofound and EU-OSHA 2014). This reflects individual values of fairness and the idea that our roles as professionals are essential to our identity and well-being.
More than half (53%) of Europeans surveyed in 2014 said that they perceived work-related stress to be their main work-related health and safety risk (Flash Eurobarometer 398: Working Conditions). Estimating the prevalence of work-related stress is challenging, as stress is difficult to quantify objectively and the definitions and assessment methodologies applied vary significantly (Eurofound 2010 (pdf)), resulting in data difficult to combine and compare. Cultural, gender and age-related differences have been described when estimating prevalence of work-related stress (ILO 2016 (pdf))(EU-OSHA 2000 (pdf)).
Table 1 summarises work-related stress prevalence across countries in Europe (EU-OSHA 2013) and shows gender and age-related differences in the perception of work-related stress. Females experience stress in the workplace slightly more frequently than males (54% vs. 49%). Workers aged 18-54 years are more likely to perceive levels of work-related stress as common (53%) compared with workers aged 55+ years (44%).
A number of preventable factors are associated with an increased risk for work-related stress. At the same time, work-related stress is in itself a risk factor for several health disorders and work-related outcomes.
Factors contributing to work-related stress can be physical or psychological/psychosocial in nature (Eurofound 2010 (pdf)). Physical hazards in general include biological, biomechanical, chemical and radiological hazards. In the context of work-related stress, poor physical working conditions and environment, like the workplace layout and exposure to harmful agents, can affect both workers’ experience of stress and their psychological and physical health (WHO 2010 (pdf)). A well-known physical hazard linked with work-related stress is exposure to noise at the workplace.
Psychological/psychosocial hazards relate to the interaction between, on the one hand, the characteristics of the job, the way that work is organised and managed, and other environmental and organisational conditions (as described in Table 2 (ILO 1986 (pdf)) and, on the other hand, the employees' competencies and needs.
Table 2: Psychosocial hazards and work-related stress
The most common psychosocial causes of work-related stress in Europe in 2012 were job reorganisation or job insecurity (72%), and hours worked or workload (66%)(EU-OSHA 2013).
Moreover, data from 2019 show that the most frequently identified psychosocial hazards in EU are having to deal with difficult customers, pupils, patients (61% of establishments) and time pressure (45%)(EU-OSHA 2019).
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in major changes in the work environment resulting in new psychosocial challenges for the health and well-being of workers. Such challenges arise from the uncertainty of the present and future work situation, as well as from the changes in work processes and arrangements. Frontline workers, such as health care and emergency workers, but also those involved in the essential services are facing many stressful situations at work as a result of, increased workloads, longer working hours, reduced rest periods, risk of being infected, etc. People working from home are exposed to specific psychosocial risks, such as isolation, blurred boundaries between work and family, increased risk of domestic violence etc. (ILO 2020) (pdf)).
Stress reactions resulting from exposure to risk factors at work may be emotional (e.g. feeling nervous or irritated), cognitive (e.g. reduced attention and perception), behavioural (e.g. aggressive or impulsive behaviour) and/or physiological (e.g. increased heart rate, blood pressure, or hyperventilation)(Flash Eurobarometer 398: Working Conditions). When these persist over time, they may develop into more permanent health conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and musculoskeletal disorders. Prolonged exposure to stress, and specifically the combination of low control and high demands, can also lead to depression and anxiety (ILO 2016 (pdf)).
Burn-out, characterised by feelings of energy depletion or exhaustion, increased mental distance from one’s job, or feelings of negativism or cynicism related to one's job and reduced professional efficacy is also recognised as an occupational phenomenon (while not classified as a medical condition in ICD-11). It influences health status and frequency of contact with health services (ICD-10 version 2019) and in Europe, at least nine countries (Denmark, Estonia, France, Hungary, Latvia, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, and Sweden) offer compensation for it.
People experiencing stressful working conditions may also engage in more harmful lifestyle behaviours such as heavy alcohol consumption, less frequent exercise, cigarette smoking, or suffer from overweight or disturbed sleep, which again increase their risk for adverse health outcomes (Eurofound and EU-OSHA 2014).
Bullying, harassment, or even violence can also emerge from experienced stress, with the added negative consequence that these effects can harm positive relationships and support at work. The health impacts of work-related stress may however be underestimated, because those in frail(er) health may have left the labour market before developing chronic health conditions, a situation known as the “healthy worker effect” bias (Flash Eurobarometer 398: Working Conditions).
The economic impact of work-related stress is important; many sectors are particularly affected (e.g. healthcare, education or social services) and economic losses stem from increased sickness absenteeism and presenteeism (i.e. being present at work when one is sick and should be recovering), high staff turnover rates (EU-OSHA 2014 (pdf)), and accidents. Furthermore, a systematic review of the costs of work-related stress to society indicated that productivity-related losses contribute 70-90% of the total cost of work-related stress (Hassard J et al. The cost of work-related stress to society: A systematic review).
Several European institutions, international organisations, corporate actors and countries have produced guidelines, information campaigns, training resources and monitoring instruments to raise awareness and improve the prevention and management of work-related stress.
At the EU level, the Parliamentary Assembly Resolution 2267 of 2019 calls the member States of the Council of Europe to evaluate existing policy measures, identify regulatory gaps and take action to control workplace stress (European Pact for Mental Health and Well-being 2008 (pdf)).
Table 3 describes policy recommendations and other initiatives that have been developed for various sectors to address work-related stress among employers, workers and their representatives.
In EU, the leading document in the field of health and safety at work, the EU Framework Directive (89/391/EEC) on Safety and Health at Work from 1989 with the subsequent amendments, is transposed in the Member States.
Many national legal frameworks refer to psychosocial hazards and risks or work-related stress, but often in a non-unified and fragmented manner. There are different legislative and enforcement approaches to address psychosocial risks with some Member States having binding detailed legislation, and other countries remaining with general legislation as in the Framework directive (EC 2019).
| Originally Published | Last Updated | 14 Dec 2020 | 07 May 2021 |
| Knowledge service | Metadata | Health Promotion Knowledge Gateway | Mental health promotion | Work-related stress |
| Digital Europa Thesaurus (DET) | health policymental health |
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