Excessive stress is a growing issue within the transport and logistics sector, a study has revealed.
The 2021 Stress and Mental Health study involved transport and logistics employees working for 67 UK employers.
As a result, nearly one in five employees surveyed said they had considered leaving their position.
Furthermore, 10% of those asked had already left their job due to excessive stress during the past 12 month.
Specifically, that figure is double employees in retail and more than healthcare professionals.
Worryingly, the trends could lead to a staff exodus in the coming months and years.
Therefore, employers are being encouraged to invest in mental health support for employees.
Up to 27% of employees from the sector have taken off work for mental health reasons in 2021.
Also, More than one in eight who suffered from excessive stress believe their company didn’t provide sufficient mental health support.
The survey provided a detailed insight into the specific problems experienced by transport and logistics workers.
For example, almost half (46.7%) struggled to sleep properly because of excessive stress.
Meanwhile, 40% withdrew from others or socialised less, leaving them to deal with stress without the vital support of friends and family.
For 33%, feelings of excessive stress led to further impacts on their mental health.
Richard Holmes, director of wellbeing at Westfield Health, said the matter was a cause of concern.
“Burnout is a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress.
“Pressure at work is usually the main culprit.
“And when budgets are tight and teams are small, people often find themselves with multiple roles and heavy workloads.”
Meanwhile, career coach Claire Brown, said mental health needs to be prioritised.
“There is now an increasing need to adjust to a constantly evolving and changing landscape,” she commented.
