Geen
pauze nemen tijdens werk is schadelijk voor gezondheid*
Uit een Engels onderzoek onder 3.000 werkende blijkt dat zij die zichzelf geen tijd gunnen om even te pauzeren tijdens de werkdag,
daarmee grote gezondheidsproblemen riskeren. Een derde van de werkenden werkt
door tijdens de lunch. Een kwart slaat de pauze helemaal over. Werken kan mensen mentaal goed doen, maar tegelijkertijd leidt overwerk niet zelden tot gezondheidsproblemen,
waarschuwen de onderzoekers. De meest voorkomende problemen zijn rugklachten door te lang in één houding te werken en
stress. Meer dan veertig procent van de ondervraagden zegt zich minstens een keer per week
gestresst te voelen. Onderbezetting en hoge werkdruk zijn daarvan veelal de oorzaak.
Onderzoeker Ben Willmott zegt dat de uitkomsten van het onderzoek de alarmbellen moet doen rinkelen.
Een bepaalde mate van werkdruk is natuurlijk best wenselijk. Maar als dat niveau uitstijgt boven wat de werknemer aankan - stress dus - is het tijd om even een pauze te nemen. Dat voorkomt depressies, spanningen en
hartproblemen.
One in four 'works all day without break' - survey
Eating a sandwich at a computer Eating lunch at the computer is becoming more prevalent
One in four people in the UK often works all day without taking a break, a survey
suggests.
More than half of the 3,000 people polled by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists said they went to work when feeling unwell or stressed.
Staff shortages were cited as a cause of stress and why breaks were skipped.
While work can contribute to people's mental and physical well-being, overworking can lead to health problems, the CSP warned.
Back pain
While a quarter of those polled took no lunch break at all, a third worked through most of theirs. Half of those who did so said it was because they had too much work to do, and a third because there were not enough staff to do the work required.
Working in the same position for long periods at a time meant many complained of physical pain.
The CSP warned that poor working practices increased the risk of chronic musculoskeletal disorders, like back pain - one of the most common reasons for long-term sickness leave in the UK.
Stress was also an issue, with more than 40% feeling stressed at least once a week. For many of these people, staff shortages and a heavy workload were at the root of their
anxiety.
Last year, the health watchdog NICE urged employers to do more to tackle stress and anxiety in the workplace.
Alarm bells
Sickness absence and "sickness presence", when staff come to work feeling unwell, is estimated to cost employers and society about £35bn each year in reduced productivity, sick pay and
benefits.
At least some of this could be recouped through healthier working practices and helping employees access treatment for musculoskeletal disorders, the CSP said.
"Work is good for us and can contribute to our physical and mental well-being - but not when overworking means people don't have the time or energy to look after their own health or when staff are at work but not fit for work," said Ann Green, chairman of the
CSP.
Ben Willmott, of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, said: "These findings should ring alarm bells for
employers.
"A certain level of pressure at work is of course desirable. However when the pressure people face exceeds their ability to cope - in other words stress - it is likely to lead to time off work and is linked to conditions such as depression, anxiety and heart
disease." (Juni 2010)
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