A worrying number of employees in European Union institutions are suffering from occupational burnout, alongside symptoms of anxiety and depression, according to alarming data published yesterday by the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC).
The ETUC states that the primary cause is the decision to implement budget cuts across various services. These cuts have resulted in additional duties being assigned to the remaining staff, leading to excessive workloads.
The urgent need for the European Commission to issue a directive aimed at ending the growing “epidemic of stress” in the workplace stems from the situation faced by its own personnel, the ETUC announced. The European Federation of Public Service Unions (EPSU), which represents EU institutions staff unions, alongside media reports, indicates a growing number of Commission employees are experiencing burnout due to the “extreme workload”. This workload is caused by management’s expectation of achieving more with fewer resources.
The situation mirrors conditions across all European workplaces, where burnout is rising to the extent that workplace stress now accounts for over 40% of all depression cases and is the main cause of 10,000 deaths annually.
The ETUC states that the upcoming Quality Jobs Package must include a Psychosocial Risks Directive. This directive would place a legal obligation on employers to take measures to prevent burnout and overwork.
Esther Lynch, General Secretary of the ETUC, said: “Stress at work is predictable and preventable. Workers are doing their best. Now employers need to do their part.”
She added: “Every employer needs to put a concrete plan in place to keep people safe. We know that overworking can cause burnout, depression and heart disease. It costs the economy approximately 620 billion euros annually and, most importantly, it costs people’s lives.”
Lynch noted that despite this, Europe currently lacks specific legislation on psychosocial risks. “The reports coming out of the Berlaymont should mean that the Commissioners know better than anyone how much Europe needs a directive to end stress at work and we expect it to be included in the Quality Jobs Act,” she concluded.