Young People and Work-Related Stress

Young Workers August 23 2016

Are you a young worker – 18 years to 33 years – feeling stressed out due to pressure at work? Do you feel you have more to prove than your older colleagues? Are the demands of climbing the corporate career ladder and the challenging economic times making you sick? Is your financial debt overwhelming you? And are you in low-paid employment? If so you are not alone. Research has found higher rates of anxiety among millennials that is work-related. Millennials are the most stressed generation, survey finds – CBS News with a high percentage having depression. Almost half of the millennials taking part in the survey acknowledge they are not doing enough to manage their stress. And while the aforementioned survey’s focus is on the United States (US), there is evidence to suggest that young workers in the UK are in a similar position.

In November 2012, the online version of The Telegraph newspaper published findings from a survey into workplace stress. The article Young-workers-more-prone-to-stress-survey-finds.html said young workers are 40% more prone to call in due to stress than older workers: seven in ten workers aged between 18 and 24 compared to half of all people over the age of 55. It adds experts believe young workers may feel more stressed than the older generation because they have more expectations on their shoulders and are more aware of the telltale signs of stress than their older colleagues. The article goes on to say younger people may well now feel more comfortable with signaling that they are under stress, and in reporting it in the workplace.

Other research reaffirms high rates of anxiety among young workers. Low pay, agency-work, precarious working, zero hours contracts, student debts and high unemployment levels are the norm for many young workers. Given this set of circumstances, it is little wonder the millennials age group are more likely to skip a day when they start to feel anxious: 21% compared to 17% of Generation X (born between 1965 and 1977) workers and 18% of boomer employees (1946 and 1964)young-people-aren-t-good-at-shaking-off-work-stress. The biggest stressors the report mentioned were: money, work and relationships.

The Communication Workers Union (CWU) is committed to helping all its members deal with unhealthy stress. Together with the various business units in which we have recognition status, we will continue to work to ensure some of the best Health and Safety policies in place. The CWU has raised awareness of and highlighted some of the implications of unhealthy work-related stress, e.g. depression, long absences away from work and mental health issues Trades Union Congress – Stress.

Work-related stress can be managed through good workplace procedures/policies. In 2004/05 the CWU and Royal Mail Group (RMG) agreed a RMG Stress Management Framework/Policy. The document describes the approach to identifying and controlling workplace stressors. H:\H drive\My Data Sources\LTB 80-05 Royal Mail Stress Policy1.pdf. The policy highlights among other things, three main and extensive aspects for dealing with stress in the workplace, namely:

  1. A proactive approach to identify root causes;
  2. A responsive approach to identify those with issues and provide the necessary support and,
  3. A rehabilitative approach to care for those recovering.

At the time of writing, the CWU is again working with RMG to produce a more up-to-date guidance on Stress’, which goes beyond the present policy. The new policy is looking at ways to prevent unhealthy stress in the first-place. The planned date for implementation of the guidance is towards the end of the year (October) in line with Mental Health Week. Also, other information on dealing with work-related stress can be found on the CWU website via http://www.cwu.org/departments-services/health-safety-and-environment/healthsome-work-environments/stress/

All CWU members can consult their Industrial Relations (IR) and Health and Safety Representatives for advice on health issues. We strongly encourage young members to avail themselves of these tools/representatives.

Remember, unhealthy stress can wreak havoc on all of us. Let the CWU help you to help yourself.

Article Compiled by:

Pauline Granstan
CWU Research Department