People, not machines, are responsible for most of the stress suffered by workers in the modern European workplace, according to a new report from the European Foundation for the improvement of Living and Working Conditions. The most worrying finding is that over 13 million people are subjected to violence or intimidation in the workplace. In contrast, new technology is a comparatively minor offender in producing increased levels of stress. Employers, clients and colleagues are responsible for the majority of problems.
There are 147 million people at work in the 15 member-states of the EU, of whom 83 per cent are employees. More than 1,000 workers were interviewed in each state by the foundation for this report.
The study has come up with some surprising as well as predictable answers. The most disturbing finding is that 9 per cent of employees claim to have been subjected to violence or intimidation in the workplace. The report says these problems can no longer be regarded as a marginal phenomenon.
It estimates that three million people are subjected to sexual harassment at work, six million to physical violence and 12 million to psychological violence, through verbal abuse or bullying.
The report says that while definitions of violence vary considerably from country to country and occupation to occupation, violence of one kind or another "is clearly a major problem, and one which will need to be monitored very closely in future".
The most predictable finding is that back pain remains the most common work-related health problem. Thirty per cent of respondents suffered from backache. Stress was second at 28 per cent.
Stress is perhaps the most complex and difficult phenomenon the survey attempts to identify. Since the last survey in 1991, the foundation says the number of people involved in high-speed work has increased from 48 per cent to 54 per cent. The figure for those having to meet tight deadlines has risen from 50 per cent to 56 per cent.
This is despite the fact that over the same period the percentage of workers with some autonomy over the pace of their own work has increased from 64 per cent to 72 per cent. People seem to be setting themselves higher targets than those set by their employers.
However, that is only part of the picture. The main driving force behind the increasing pace of work appears to be client demand. Whether they be outside contractors, users of a company's services or, in the health services, patients, all are demanding better and quicker responses.
Clients are cited by two-thirds of respondents as a major factor in dictating the pace of work. Colleagues are cited by 41 per cent as a major factor, slightly ahead of "direct control by boss" at 40 per cent and "production norms", which accounts for 36 per cent.
The much-maligned "machine" is cited by only 23 per cent of respondents as a cause of stress, suggesting that those prophets who have argued that new technology is a blessing rather than a curse may be right after all.
Despite the fact that 38 per cent of workers now use computers, 37 per cent remain involved in short, repetitive tasks. Another 45 per cent perform monotonous duties. Exposure to intense noise affects 28 per cent of workers and 45 per cent have to perform painful or physically tiring tasks.
Significantly, the chances of someone being exposed to repetitive or painful work increases dramatically for casual employees and those on short-term contracts. While 31 per cent of permanent employees have to perform repetitive duties, the figure rises to 40 per cent for workers on short-term contracts and 51 per cent for casual workers.
Where painful or tiring duties are concerned, only 15 per cent of permanent employees are exposed to them. The figure for short-term contract staff is 21 per cent and 24 per cent for casual staff. Casualisation appears to be a significant hidden factor in raising levels of stress within the modern workplace.