HappierMe survey into causes of work stress.

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70-80% of workers report work related stress in most studies but the causes of it have not been studied in depth. According to a recent survey conducted by HappierMe, a self awareness platform for a happier and more successful life, the main reason for work stress among employees is too much work. The survey asked 1,000 workers from various industries and sectors to rank four possible causes of work stress: too much work, not enough recognition, conflict in relationships and our attitude to work. The results showed that 37% of the respondents chose too much work as the main reason, followed by 23% who selected not enough recognition, 21% who cited conflict in relationships and 18% who attributed work stress to our attitude to work.

 

These factors can create a sense of frustration, dissatisfaction and anxiety that can impact our physical and mental health. However, work stress is not inevitable. Here are some strategies that can help us manage and reduce it:

 

Too much work: 37% of people said that they felt stressed because they have too much work to do and not enough time to do it. This can lead to burnout, fatigue and reduced productivity. To cope with this, it is important to prioritise your tasks, set realistic deadlines, delegate when possible and take regular breaks. You can also use tools to organise your work and track your progress. It is important for employers to be mindful of how much they expect of their employees, and not overwhelm them.

 

Not enough recognition: 23% of people said that they felt stressed because they do not receive enough recognition or appreciation for their work. This can lead to low self-esteem, resentment and lack of motivation. There are two ways to deal with this. Firstly, to realise that expecting recognition is normal, but gives others the key to our happiness. Can we find a way to value ourselves, and let go of this need for external validation which causes so much of our stress? The second way is for employers to step up and recognise staff for their achievements.

 

Conflict in relationships: 21% of people said that they felt stressed because they have conflict or tension with their co-workers, managers or clients. This can lead to anger, distrust and impact collaboration. To deal with this, it is important to resolve conflicts constructively, listen actively, empathise with others and respect different opinions. Accepting other perspectives as being equally valid is so important. The more we understand ourselves, the easier it is to understand others.

 

Our attitude to work: 18% of people said that they felt stressed because of a negative attitude towards their work. This can lead to dissatisfaction, boredom and cynicism. We need to shift our mindset to being more positive. Our mind usually takes what we already have for granted and focuses on what we don’t have. With a positive attitude we can see the best in people and situations and this can make us happier and more productive. We need to bring our happiness to work rather than expecting work to make us happy. 

 

63% of our stress comes from factors not related to our workload. By understanding our own mind we can learn how to manage these ourselves, and this can contribute to us being much less stressed.

Work stress is not inevitable. By understanding the causes and effects of work stress and applying some strategies to cope with it, you can improve your well-being, performance and happiness at work.

Avoid and overcome burnout, with wisdom

Overcome Burnout

A recent poll by HappierMe suggests that 70% of employees think burnout is very common in their organization. The poll was conducted in January 2024 and 1900 people took part.

It was commonest among those who had positions of responsibility, especially among CEO’s, teachers, finance professionals, doctors, nurses and those working in mental health.

It is perhaps the silent epidemic of modern life leading to emotional and physical exhaustion. Those who are experiencing burnout may not even realize the symptoms of it unless it’s too late. It is so important to spot it early and do something about it, and better still, avoid it altogether.

Symptoms of early burnout include feeling tired all the time, or unable to cope, or getting more irritable, or not sleeping well. We don’t enjoy our work any more, and are more likely to make poor decisions. We can feel like a victim of our own circumstances.

Burnout is caused by long term stress and there are many causes of that in our lives, work is just one of them.

Work

Employers and managers are under pressure to deliver, and that pressure gets passed down to employees. In the name of efficiency, employers try to get more done from fewer people, not realizing that if an employee starts burning out, their productivity is going to decrease. They have a greater chance of going off sick or leaving their jobs. Our own ambition to be better than others and climb the ladder of success can contribute to burnout, with some employees not taking their allocated leave, or working evenings and weekends just to get ahead. We can get caught in a frenzied competitive atmosphere and not be aware we are being conditioned by it. Many self-employed people live with a constant anxiety about having enough work or money in the future, and work longer hours than if they were employed.

Personal lives

Chronic stress can be a product of our personal circumstances. We may not have enough money, or worry about not having enough in the future. That stress contributes to burnout and exhaustion. Or we may have recurring conflict in our relationships and that can wear us down. Or we might be carers dealing with challenging circumstances with no respite.

Past trauma

If we have suffered some past trauma, that may put our nervous system on high alert and the same situation can make us feel more stressed than it would others. In some surveys 70% of people have suffered some past trauma, and not everyone has resolved it.

Long term stress can lead to poor sleep, and this makes us even more irritable and prone to stress during the day.

Our need to be occupied

Our brains never switch off and the mind never gets a rest. When work finishes, digital entertainment takes over. Deep down our minds are restless and we feel uncomfortable being quiet in our own company. We scroll endlessly on social media, or watch TV, or listen to music or find other ways to try and escape from that feeling, including drugs and alcohol. The brain is an amazing machine, but it also needs periods of rest to recover and we need to recognise the importance of doing so.

What can we do to avoid and overcome burnout?

Perhaps the first step is to realize that it is common and can happen to anyone, and ask yourself if it may be happening to you. Explore the module on Stress in the HappierMe app here, and put in place practical measures to reduce your stress. Initially this could include regular breathing exercises or a meditation practice. Stress is often caused by the automatic way our mind reacts to our circumstances. A deeper self-awareness can help us be in charge of our own reactions and find fresh ways to respond. Many of the causes of stress begin in our own thinking but we are not aware of them, for example our mind comparing all the time. Understanding them can help us put them to one side and be less stressed.

Employers could also prioritize the well-being of their staff, realizing that it is in their own best interest to have employees who are not suffering from burnout.

To find out more, explore all the resources in the HappierMe app to avoid and overcome stress for the long term.