Women Suffer More Work Stress Than Men

Highlights

• Work-related stress, anxiety and depression are common among women.
• Women are 1.4 times more stressed from work when compared to men.
• Work stress for women is mainly due to lack of managerial support and other additional pressures such as housework.

A considerably high level of work-related stress, anxiety and depression are faced by women when compared to men, finds a leading psychiatrist from the City of London. Women between the age of 25-54 are more stressed than their male counterparts. The pressure is too high when they are between the age of 35-44 especially when coping with responsibilities, caring for children and elderly parents.

Dr.Judith Mohring, lead consultant psychiatrist, Priory’s Wellbeing Center, City of London, said, Women faced additional workplace pressures, such as having to prove they were as good as men, not being valued or promoted, unequal pay, and being expected to “look the part.”

She also added that female managers in male dominated fields found the strain to be intolerable, and their stress levels also increased since their families were more reliant on their income.

According to the statistics published by the Health and Safety Executive which is based on Labor Force Executive, women feel more stressed than men from the age of 25 and continue throughout their career.

The research data collected from a period of three years upto 2016 found men between the age group of 16-24, 25-34, 35-44 were found to have significantly lower rates of work-related stress than average. Higher rates of stress were only seen with men between the age of 45-54, however the rate was not statistically significant.

In contrast, women between the age of 25-34, 35-44 and 45-54 had higher levels of stress than average.

Advertisement

The Health Safety and Executive, added, “The occupations and industries reporting the highest rates of work-related stress remain consistently in the health and public sectors of the economy. The reasons cited as causes of work-related stress are also workload, lack of managerial support and organisational change.”

Mohring also said, “If companies and organisations are genuinely interested in making their loyal and talented female staff feel less stressed – and I sometimes question if they are – then allowing employees wherever possible to work from home is an important step forward".

Advertisement

“Women are also unhappy about lower pay than men, job insecurity and lack of potential for career progression. And when push comes to shove, in a restructure they often feel that not having had the time to network with senior – often male – bosses puts them at disproportionate risk".

“Endemic uncertainty is built into many workplaces, and women often bear the brunt of that. In truth, many of these changes in organisations actually achieve very little and raise stress rather than productivity – which in itself is counter-productive.”

Women were 1.4 times more likely to suffer from stress, anxiety and depression. According to the figures, 272,000 women reported work-related stress when compared to 200,000 men.

Common Sources for Work Stress

• Excessive Workload
• Low Income
• Lack of Managerial Support
• Confusion in taking Job-related decisions
• Family responsibilities

Coping With Stress At Work

• Make time for yourself and relax.
• Get support from trusted friends and family members.
• Prioritize work at office

References

1. Coping with stress at work - (http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/work-stress.aspx )
2. Simple Ways to Deal with Work Related Stress - (https://www.medindia.net/patients/lifestyleandwellness/simple-ways-to-deal-with-work-related-stress.htm )

Source-Medindia