Employees who work inflexible hours tend to be more than three times as stressed than those working flexible hours.
That's the conclusion of research by the Kenexa High Performance Institute, cited by hrmagazine.co.uk, which revealed that 68 per cent of respondents with inflexible work times reported 'unreasonable' work stress while only 20 per cent of respondents with flexible work schedules reported the same.
Furthermore, 59 per cent of those with inflexible hours said they were looking to move on to another position in the next 12 months compared to just 22 per cent of those with flexible schedules, which could provide food for thought for a CEO looking to revamp their policy towards work/life balance.
As a result, khpi.com are asking if it is 'any surprise that stress levels are on the rise?'
Rena Rasch, research director of KHPI, commented on the survey: "With 57 per cent of businesses planning to adapt their working hours during the Olympics, we're likely to see an overall reduction in stress levels. This is contrary to reports that workers in London will see stress levels rise from the Olympics.
"Stress is associated with a wide range of health problems, which can increase absenteeism and reduce an employee's ability to focus. Flexible work schedules should be possible in the vast majority of cases, particularly with the technology we have today to keep in touch," added Rasch.
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