High-end employers paying the cost of stressed-out staff

NEARLY half of the professional services workforce is stressed and costing firms more than £4million a year, says a study.

- Maria Ward-Brennan

Staff not showing up to work costs businesses nearly £1,400 per person yearly, while presenteeism is an even higher cost at over £1,900 per employee.

The findings come from research which focused on 1,000 full-time employees in typically high-paying, high-intensity environments across the finance, legal and technology sectors.

The study from corporate wellbeing provider Walking on Earth says that stress is not just a concern for wellbeing but a business risk due to lost working days, rising costs as well as compliance failures.