WIREDGOV

Over the last ten years, work-related stress has increased in nine Member States and has only fallen in Sweden.

Studies suggest that between 50% and 60% of all lost working days are related to stress.

In France for example, the cost of stress has been reported to reach at least €2 to €3 billion each year.

In the UK it's estimated that 10 million working days are lost due to anxiety, stress and depression linked to work.

The direct costs related to stress at work are now estimated to be as high as 4% of EU GDP. In response to these developments, European workers' and employers' representatives reached an agreement in 2004 to ensure a minimum level of protection against stress at work.

The European Commission has published an evaluation of this agreement, concluding that it has had positive effects where implemented. In particular, employers' and workers' efforts have led to policy developments in 12 Member States where little had been done before.

Although the agreement has not been implemented evenly in all countries, 19 Member States now have legislation or binding collective agreements that address stress or other psychological risks at work.

Presenting the new report, László Andor, EU Commissioner for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion, said: “Here we see how a European agreement followed up by employers and workers at national level can concretely improve working conditions in Europe. He added: "We know that stress can be a structural problem related to work organisation rather than to individuals, which is why the social partners are often best placed to take action in this area. I call on employers and workers to continue their positive work and address shortcomings, particularly in those countries where joint action has been limited so far.”

The 2004 social partner agreement – concluded by all cross-industry European social partners (Business Europe, UEAPME, CEEP and ETUC) – aims to raise awareness of work-related stress and provide a framework for action. The role of employers is to identify risk factors for stress and to try to match responsibility better with skills; consult workers on restructuring and new technologies; and to provide support to individuals and teams.

The Commission's evaluation of the agreement concludes that the 2004 agreement has successfully triggered social dialogue and policy developments in the field of occupational stress in most Member States. The rules on work-related stress have been enshrined in different ways through collective or general social partner agreements, guidelines or legislation. In many countries, the social partners complemented action with effective awareness-raising campaigns and practical instruments, such as stress assessment tools and training.

At the same time, the agreement has not been implemented evenly throughout Europe. Social partners in Malta, Cyprus, Poland and Slovenia have not reported on the follow-up to their commitments and results in Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany and Estonia have fallen short of expectations. The report emphasises how improvements must be made across the board.

According to social partners, while individuals are ‘well adapted to cope with short-term exposure to pressure’, prolonged exposure to stressful situations can do significant damage. The most important stress factors are work demands, room for manoeuvre, social relations, emotional demands, value and ethical conflicts and employment insecurity.

Over time, these factors have increased. For instance, the share of workers reporting that they work to tight deadlines or at high working speed at least a quarter of their time rose from 50% in 1991 to over 60% in 2005 and has remained stable since then.

Background
In 2002, during a social partner consultation, the Commission highlighted the need for a minimum level of protection of workers against work-related stress building on the general provisions of the EU Health and Safety Framework Directive (Directive 89/391/EEC).

The European social partners chose to deal with this through a European autonomous framework agreement, as provided for by Article 155 of the Lisbon Treaty. These agreements can be implemented either through EU legislation or via the action of national affiliates of EU social partners, in line with traditions and practices specific to each Member State.

At EU level, there are four agreements implemented by workers' and employers' representatives covering telework, stress at work, violence and harassment and inclusive labour markets. The agreement on stress at work is the second agreement of this kind..

Related links:
Commission evaluation report on the implementation of the European autonomous framework agreement on work-related stress:
http://ec.europa.eu/social/BlobServlet?docId=6560&langId=en

Implementation of the European autonomous framework agreement on work-related stress: Report by the European social partners 
http://ec.europa.eu/employment_social/dsw/public/displayRecord.do?id=5121

European social dialogue :
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=329&langId=en

Health and safety at work,
http://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=148&langId=en