site.btaOne Bulgarian in Five Works in Highly Stressful Environment

One Bulgarian in Five Works in Highly Stressful Environment

Sofia, October 20 (BTA) - One Bulgarian in five works in a highly stressful environment, according to the Working Climate Index published by the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions in Bulgaria (CITUB) on Tuesday. The index was unveiled by Lyuben Tomev, Director of CITUB's Institute of Social and Trade Unionist Studies. About 30 per cent of respondents say they do not have stress-related problems at work, and the remaining 50 per cent experience such problems occasionally.

A small number of individuals complain of extreme situations at work, including cases of violence. Some 3.5 per cent have been harassed or pressured. Physical violence and sexual harassment is reported by less than 1 per cent of interviewees.

After-work exhaustion is particularly widespread, with 17.9 per cent of employees experiencing mental or physical exhaustion at the end of a typical working day, the survey shows. Those who cannot rest on working days or on weekends, or cannot take holidays, are more often under stress than those who can rest, Tomev said. Monotonous work is associated with more stress than varied work. Stress is four times as common among employees working against deadlines as it is among people working at a slower pace.

Nearly 60 per cent of those who perceive worker-to-worker relationships in their company as bad claim that they work under stress.

The socio-psychological climate in Bulgarian companies can be described as relatively good, Tomev said. More than half of respondents describe their relationships with their superiors and peers as good or very good and feel relatively comfortable in their working environment. Over 40 per cent of those polled believe work is effectively organized by their management and assignments are well-balanced. Some 37 per cent find that the style of management in their company is up to date and 29 per cent feel proud of it.

Deputy Labour and Social Policy Minister Gulub Donev said during the presentation of the survey that all European and national studies show that stress in the workplace is an underestimated risk which seriously affects the health and working capacity of the people. Donev cited European studies which show that between 50 and 60 per cent of missed working days are due to stress in the workplace and psycho-social risks. Stress is the second most frequently cited work-related health hazard in Europe after musculoskeletal disorders, he said.