More than four in five (82%) UK employees are experiencing physical pain caused by workplace stress, a study has found.
The findings from Equals Money showed that 90% of staff feel stressed in the office, while 18% say they are stressed all the time they are at work.
Research by the payment platform revealed that work overload was the main factor causing the stress, cited by 56% of respondents. This was followed by lack of communication and bad management, reported by 31% and 28% respectively.
The survey of 1,500 office-based workers further found that almost a third (32%) highlighted managing daily financial tasks as a key reason for the stress. This included filing expenses, invoicing clients, and paying and receiving invoices.
More than three-quarters (76%) of those surveyed said they want to look for a new role because of stress at work, with nearly three in 10 (29%) actively looking. Furthermore, 60% reported needing to take time off work because of stress.
Ian Strafford-Taylor, co-founder and chief executive officer of Equals Money, said: “The research clearly shows that UK workers are under a significant amount of stress – from overloaded work schedules to the day-to-day worries of running a business. This stress is causing staff to take leave and even search for different jobs, which creates efficiency and profitability issues for businesses.”
Nearly nine in 10 (88%) said they suffer from back, neck or joint pain while in the office, which is affecting their quality of life. More than a third (36%) say it distracts them from work and a quarter (25%) believe it stops them enjoying social activities.
Despite work stress being identified as a cause of physical pain, most respondents said they have to find pain relief themselves, with three in 10 (31%) taking painkillers. Almost half (47%) visit a chiropractor, yet nearly the same percentage (49%) do not have access to a chiropractor as part of their employee benefits offering.
