ABSTRACT
The scourge of the modern workplace is wreaking havoc with our health, and looks set to get even worse over the years. The Bilbao-based European Agency for Safety and Health at Work offers the vague definition. Three out of ten United Kingdom workers experience mental health problems each year and depressive disorders account for 7% of premature retirements. Within the European Union, organisations are encouraged to implement data collection processes and to monitor employee health and the workplace environment. Stress in the workplace is having a very big impact because of increased pressure on companies to consistently improve performance and increase profits in a highly competitive world. There are, nevertheless, a growing number of forward-thinking employers who realise that good health equals good business, subsequently adopting a more holistic approach to the way employees are managed. Stress at work is widespread and has been shown to be associated with certain work characteristics and to have a negative impact on health.
