Symptoms, % of cases reporting
- Losing sense of humour, 47.1
- Depression, 35.3
- Migraine headaches, 35.3
- Skin disorders (dryness, rashes), 17.6
- Chest pains, 17.6
- Constant fatigue, 23.5
- Hypertension, 23.5
- Muscular tension and pain, 17.6
- Vomiting at thought of going to work, 11.8
- Diarrhoea, 11.8
- Coughs & Asthma, 5.9 and
- Abdominal pains, 5.9
Quote:
It should be viewed by employers in this industry with deep concern that such high levels of ill health are being reported in such a small sample of people, as with time all these symptoms will worsen and result in significant costs in relation to sickness payments. This is in addition to inefficiency which is heightened by having to replace employees on days, weeks or months when they fall sick. It also goes without saying that if allowed to continue unabated, these workers will either leave prematurely or die prematurely from a stress related ailment such as a heart attack. Indeed, suicide is also commonplace in people who are deep in depression.
These are the realities of bullying and stress at work which we see and can easily measure. Much of the information that I have been volunteered by employees in the retail trade has been volunteered only with the guarantee of absolute confidence of anonymity but I have to say that I am not aware of any major employer in the retail food sector which was not affected by this blight.
Source: Workplace Bullying: Stress, Employment Law and You
