Workplace stress among teachers must be taken seriously

June 2013
Stress levels are straining relationships and having a negative effect on wellbeing, according to Teachers Assurance survey

On reading the latest report on teachers' stress levels, weary sense of deja vu descended. The survey by Teachers Assurance reveals that 76% of teachers believe that workplace stress is making them ill, with 56% believing they would do a better job if they were less stressed. In addition, 40% feel they argue more with their partners and friends as a result of the pressures they face and 83% said they feel constantly exhausted because of work.

Research Center

HSE Targets Workplace Stress

Stressed ManThe Heath & Safety Executive has increased its focus on work related stress.  Reports from the HSE and trades unions have long reported on the rise of stress within the workplace, often leading to high rates of employee absence.

The latest figures show that around 10 million working days are lost each year as a result of stress and this is costing businesses dearly. 

Record Rise in Stress at Work

October 2010
University of Manchester sociologist, Tarani Chandola, has published a report that reveals the global economic downturn has caused levels of work-related stress in the UK to soar.

The report claims that in each of the last two years, work stress levels rose by more than 4%, compared to annual rises between 0.1% and 1% from 1992 to 2009.

The report states that severe stress could trigger depression, anxiety, workplace injuries and suicide, and lead to a greater risk of heart disease.

Professor Chandola compiled existing evidence from peer-reviewed journals and major UK surveys to obtain a comprehensive view of work-related stress.

Stress at Work

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published research showing that teaching, nursing, and management and professional occupations report the highest levels of work-related stress.

The scale of occupational stress: A further analysis of the impact of demographic factors and type of job is a report based on research carried out by Professor Andy Smith and his team at the University of Bristol.

A previous report based on the same study stated that upto 1 in 5 of British workers reported being very or extremely stressed by their work. The present report outlines further analysis which breaks the data down into categories such as occupation, full-time or part-time hours, social class, ethnicity and sex.

What is Stress?

It is generally accepted that modem living can be very stressful. It is important to understand the causes of stress, to differentiate between good and bad stress, and how massage contributes to its management.

Stress

Not all Stress is harmful. Many people do their best work when stressed. The need to achieve and the drive to obtain success can in themselves be helpful rather than harmful factors and may contribute to a harmonious lifestyle. Much outstanding work in the fields of science, arts and business has been a attained under conditions of stress. Therefore it is necessary to look at stress, its causes and the factors which can make it harmful.