Stressed workforce is ready to crack, Malta research claims

Latest research by workspace provider Regus suggests that Maltese workers are getting more stressed, according to opinions canvassed from over 16,000 professionals across the globe.

The survey claims almost half of Maltese workers (46%) say their stress levels have risen over the past year.

"A number of national factors such as long working hours as well as continuing instability in the world economy are thought to have fuelled this growing pressure and respondents confirm that most stress triggers are of a professional rather than personal nature, with their job, customers and personal finances topping the list of causes," Regus regional vice-president Mauro Mordini said.

The research found that well over half (64%) of Maltese respondents identify flexible working as a way of cutting stress.

46% of respondents saying that flexible working is also cheaper than fixed location working and 68% that it improves productivity it would seem that helping staff to de-stress is also highly cost-effective;

Globally, small business workers were more likely to be stressed by customers (42%) than large business workers (27%), but were less vexed by management (20%) than their counterparts in larger firms (40%).

"Without a doubt stressed-out workers are unhappy and unhealthy workers too, so businesses that want to help their staff lead more rewarding lives cannot fail to analyse and tackle levels of stress within their organisation," Mordini said.

"Yet the heavy toll of stress falls not only on workers, but also on businesses as they that find their staff is unable to perform as required, needs more sick leave and is less efficient.

"Confirming previous Regus research showing that 58% of workers feel healthier directly as a result of flexible working, respondents clearly identify flexible working as one possible solution to their high stress levels. In addition to this they also report flexibility is more family friendly, helping improve their overall work-life balance and well-being.

"Levels of stress continue to increase across the world with workers getting closer and closer to 'burnout'. In the short term this means losing valuable workers and dealing with lower productivity as staff battle it out with stress related health problems, insomnia and exhaustion, but the long term effects of this pressure are still difficult to predict and could be disastrous."