Employees don’t feel equipped to handle their workload

Nine out of ten workers do not feel adequately trained to handle their workload, with a fifth admitting to using alcohol as a form of respite after a busy day.

A study of more than 2,000 UK employees, carried out by Step One Recovery, discovered that more than five Brits have taken time off work due to stress.

A fifth of employees also feel undervalued at work, with 93 per cent of Brits who earn less than £20,000 a year feeling they are paid too little for the amount of stress they are under.

Two thirds of employees in this salary bracket revealed that they struggle to cope with stress at work, a higher percentage than those earning any other wage.

“Stress is something people are forced to deal with in all aspects of their lives, however workplace stress is something that we’re seeing more people struggling to cope with,” said Claire Cheek, director at Step One Recovery.

“Stress effects people in different ways, and for some can cause both physical and mental exhaustion, known as ‘burnout.’ Professionals with perfectionist and controlling tendencies are far more likely to be affected by burnout, as they thrive on stress and adrenaline.

“This in turn can lead to self-medication, using alcohol and drugs to ‘unwind’ at the end of the day or even during the work day, such as drinking at lunchtime. Employers often put apparent addiction issues down to stress and anxiety if they recognise them at all. It is estimated that 20 per cent of alcoholics are highly functioning, but if they continue, one day it all catches up with them.”