21.05.2024

IT IS PROPOSED TO LEGISLATE STRESS IN THE WORKPLACE

A directive aimed at eliminating stress at work must be a priority for the next European Commission if it is serious about improving mental health in Europe.

This appeal is made by the European Trade Union Confederation in relation to psychosocial risks in the workplace during the current European Mental Health Week.

Europe's stress and burnout epidemic is worsening due to a combination of poorly organized work, overwork, the expectation of permanent placement, insecure work and new practices of employer surveillance and high-pressure work, the European Trade Union Confederation warns.

In the last mandate, the European Parliament called on the Commission to present legislation on psychosocial risks. The European Trade Union Confederation is calling for a directive on psychosocial risks, as well as swift progress on the legislative process currently underway for a directive on teleworking and the right to break.

However, there is still no EU legislation dedicated to psychosocial risks, although:

– Time pressure or work overload jumped from 19.5% to 46% between 2020 and 2022.

- 44% of workers agree or strongly agree that they are experiencing more work-related stress as a result of the Covid 19 pandemic, according to the EU-OSHA barometer.

– Over 40% of depression cases in the EU and UK are due to psychosocial factors in the workplace.

- People who regularly work from home are six times more likely to work in their free time and twice more likely to work 48 hours.

– Less than 40% of workplaces in the EU have action plans to prevent psychosocial risks at work.

- The European economy loses €620 billion a year due to work-related depression alone.

The General Secretary of the European Trade Union Confederation, Esther Lynch, commented: “Stress cannot be ignored. People who care about their work often don't get the time, equipment or support they need to do it right. It is stressful for a teacher or nurse not to be able to do their job the way they know they should. The data shows that, unsurprisingly, there is a huge spike in work-related mental health problems. We will hear a lot of well-intentioned words about mental health from politicians this week, but the real test of their commitment will be whether the EU adopts a directive to tackle stress at work.'