Randstad Finds Employees are Stressed to the Point of Quitting

 A survey by Randstad Engagement offers proof that stress is growing among workers despite the improving economy. The survey also validated earlier data that indicated women suffer more from workplace stress than do men.

Randstad found that workplace stress trails only to inadequate pay and lack of career opportunities as a factor in quitting a job. Further, 27 percent of women survey cited stress as the reason they quit, compared to 22 percent of male respondents.

Stress as a major factor in a resignation cuts across all generations, Randstad found, as a quarter of millennials, GenXers and baby boomers agreed that stress was the top reason for quitting a job.

The primary factors for workplace stress determined by the survey include:

• Low pay
• Long commute
• Unreasonable workload
• Annoying coworkers
• Poor work-life balance
• Working in a job outside one’s chosen career
• Lack of opportunity for advancement
• The boss
• Fear of being laid off or fired

“It’s crucial for managers to understand there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to addressing the problem of stress in the workplace, and some employees are more susceptible to stress than others,” said Jim Link, Chief HR Officer at Randstad North America. “The good news about workplace stress is that it can be managed, especially when employers provide support – and that starts with being well-connected to your workers. Companies can impact employee stress by communicating regularly with workers to identify their concerns and establishing wellness programs that make healthy stress management a top priority across the organization.”