Occupational stress: Survey finds 55% with serious anxiety, sleep difficulties
Global recession “major” cause of worry for professionals
Mohali, July 10 ( ).
Global recession and current economic slowdown in country is giving anxiety and sleepless nights to young professionals from corporate houses. 57 percent of youngsters are reeling under stress.
This eye opening account of stress amongst professionals of tricity, in corporate sector, came to notice during a detailed survey conducted by Dr Kiran Bala psychiatrist, Cheema Medical Complex, Mohali.
Stress affected mental stability, health, sleeping ability, work performance and even sexual lives of professionals. It remained second highest cause of absenteeism from work.
Proportion of stressed-out people was higher among those whose finances had suffered great deal from global recession. Among this group, 83 percent were stressed, with 55 percent reporting serious anxiety and sleep difficulties.
Dr Bala surveyed 300 professionals from different corporate house. These included 165 males and 135 females. More than a quarter respondents said that they had serious anxiety owing to economic slowdown.
Survey findings made a starling revelation of 86% individuals feeling depressed, 83% felt angry, 82% suffered from family tension, 63% had sexual problems and 63% felt loneliness in job pressure.
“Throughout study, people reported stress in one way or the other. The method of coping with such condition varied saw men and women fighting against it in distinctive ways,” says Dr Bala expressing concern over young generation falling prey to anxiety.
For coping with stress female IT personnel tend to seek social support and talk to others, while men tend to suppress their emotions and deal with problems in logical but unemotional manner.
On whole, 98% people accepted that they coped with stress by talking it out with someone. 90% of them found solace in religion and 60% participated in group activities.
Cause of stress for men and women differed to some extent. Men appeared to suffer more stress in context to risk taking, disciplinary matters, implications of mistakes, job loss and career progression.
Women were found under stress worrying about opportunities for personal development, pay scales, inventing new ideas, business travel and accumulative effect of minor tasks.
Female IT personnel reported significantly higher scores on sources of stress originating from factors intrinsic to job, managerial role, career and achievement, organizational structure and climate and relationships with others.
The silver lining of cloud remains stress management introduced by corporate houses at various levels. “Stress management program has potential to promote an employee’s positive contribution and well-being at work and encourage learning,” feels Dr Bala.
She adds that some corporate houses have become sensitive towards sufferings of their employees. As a strategy, some corporates have resorted to holding regular seminars and individuals sessions by psychiatrist and psychologists giving professionals an opportunity to discuss their problems.
Highlights of survey:
Respondents throughout reported stress symptoms
• 86% felt depressed
• 83% felt angry
• 82% suffered from family tension
• 62% suffered from sexual problems
• 63% experienced loneliness
Coping stress
• By talking 98%
• Solace in religion 90%
• Participating in group activities 60%
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