Psychological detachment

Summary:

Young workers are more likely to report having work-related stress, depression and anxiety (WRSDA) than older colleagues. There are multiple causes of WRSDA, and finding tailored ways to encourage workers to switch off at the end of the working day may promote coping and recovery, especially for younger workers.

Research for the charity Mental Health UK describes a ‘widening generational divide’ in people’s experiences of workplace stress and mental ill health¹. Its findings mirror those of the HSE², raising questions about the causes of this divide and how to address it.

According to the HSE, 776,000 people in Britain had work-related stress, depression or anxiety (WRSDA) in 2023/24². Prevalences were highest among workers aged 25–34 (3,530 cases per 100,000 workers) and lowest in those aged 55+ (1,940 cases per 100,000 workers)^3. The Mental Health UK research found that workers aged 18–24 (35% of respondents) were the most likely to report needing time off for stress-related ill health, while those aged 55+ were the least likely (10%)¹. Almost half of workers aged 18–24 reported being highly stressed from: regularly having to work unpaid overtime (48%); taking on additional paid work due to the increased cost of living (46%); and feeling isolated at work (44%)4. Two-thirds of workers aged 18–24 were unable to ‘switch off from work …

 

Dr John Ballard is editor of Occupational Health [at Work]

Author: Ballard J

Tags mental health stress

Occupational Health at Work February/March 2025 (vol. 21/5) pp03

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