According to a new study younger workers are 40 percent more likely to call in sick as a result of stress than their older counterparts.
Friends of Life commissioned the survey which found that a staggering seven out of ten workers aged between 18 and 24 called in sick at least one day last year as a result of being over worked and under pressure.
The proportion of workers over the age of 55 who took sick days as a result of stress was nearly half than that of the younger workers. The number of stress related sick days that were taken decreased with age. Of the 2000 individuals surveyed 67 percent of 18 to 24 year olds took days sick over the last year, this figure fell to 54 percent for individuals aged 25 to 34 and to 47 percent among 35 to 44 year olds.
The results were thought to have been caused by a number of reasons; Friends of Life commented that younger people may be able to readily recognise the symptoms of stress. They also highlighted that younger workers could be under more pressure to perform and demonstrate their worth for management.
The survey cited low pay and interpersonal relationships as a major cause of work place stress.
The research highlights the need to have appropriate stress management techniques in place that would engage younger workers in particular. Lunch time yoga sessions or office meditation could be hugely beneficial and has already been clinically proven to reduce the number of sick days taken.
