Poll: Job Causes Most Stress

In its recent online national survey available to its 1,500 client companies, LifeCare reported that 32% of respondents chose “job/career” as the leading factor in stress, which may result from working longer hours and taking on more responsibility, according to a news release. The second biggest stressor as ranked by the survey (24%) was “finances.”

Respondents chose the following as other causes of stress:

• 12% chose “spouse/significant other”
• 9% chose “children/parenting issues”
• 9% chose “time management”
• 5% chose “caring for an older loved one”
• 4% chose “personal health,” and
• 5% chose “other.”

However, the job/career category “encompasses time management, work/life balance, compensation, relationship issues with bosses and co-workers, personal happiness and more,” pointed out LifeCare CEO Peter Burki in the release. “Add that all together and it’s easy to see why job/career would top the poll results.”

Burki said employers, health plan and insurance providers, and other organizations are responding to the high level of stress that jobs cause and are increasing the help they provide employees to reduce stress through work/life programs.

“By doing so, they’re helping their clients, members and employees stay healthier and happier, and that equates to fewer stress-related health care claims filed, higher on-the-job productivity, less turnover and greater loyalty,” he said in the news release.