Health and wealth stress us out
Health and money are the two things stressing us out according to a recent survey by New Zealand’s largest health insurer Southern Cross.
The research, carried out by TNS on behalf of Southern Cross Healthcare Group, found that 29% of New Zealanders are more stressed out than a year ago.
And there doesn’t appear to be an end in sight – these findings are backed up by the 2015 Wellness in the Workplace survey that showed 28.6% of businesses reporting employee stress levels on the rise.
The TNS survey showed that;
-
52% of people are worried about their current or future health issues
-
21% are worried about the health of family and friends
-
32% are worried about staying fit and healthy
-
47% are worried about having enough money to live on
-
30% are worried about bill or mortgage payments
-
35% are stressed out by their workload and deadlines
Southern Cross spokesperson Aimee Bourke says, “What the research shows is on an individual level people are feeling more stressed, and this tends to lead to health issues in the long run.”
Young people reported being stressed out trying to get ahead at work and maintain a social life, whereas older respondents were more concerned about their health and the health of their family and friends.
Businesses should try and offset stress levels or expect reductions in productivity, says Bourke.
“If you invest time and effort when training your staff it makes sense that you would also invest in their health and provide tools for them to better manage stress.”
“What we know is that businesses can help mitigate this by providing employees the tools to alleviate or better manage their triggers of stress.
“Annual health checks, immunisations, wellness and financial literacy programmes and offering flexible hours and the option to work from home if they need to care for a family member, are just some of the ways the workplace can help,” says Bourke.
Note: Conducted by TNS the online survey of 2002 randomly selected New Zealanders was carried out in November 2015.
|
Total |
Male |
Female |
Under 40 |
Over 40 |
|
|
STRESS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
How stressed do you feel? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 - Not at all stressed |
12% |
12% |
11% |
6% |
16% |
|
2 |
23% |
24% |
21% |
17% |
27% |
|
3 |
31% |
28% |
33% |
30% |
31% |
|
4 |
25% |
25% |
25% |
33% |
19% |
|
5 - Very stressed |
9% |
9% |
9% |
12% |
7% |
|
Rather not say |
1% |
1% |
1% |
1% |
1% |
|
Total |
2002 |
737 |
1265 |
820 |
1182 |
|
Stress compared to a year ago |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less stressed |
23% |
21% |
26% |
25% |
22% |
|
No different |
47% |
51% |
42% |
33% |
57% |
|
More stressed |
29% |
28% |
31% |
40% |
21% |
|
Rather not say |
1% |
1% |
1% |
1% |
1% |
|
Total |
2002 |
737 |
1265 |
820 |
1182 |
|
Feeling about work/life balance |
|
|
|
|
|
|
I spend more time working than I would like to |
29% |
33% |
24% |
34% |
24% |
|
I have a good work/life balance |
51% |
52% |
49% |
44% |
56% |
|
I would like to spend more time with family and friends |
19% |
18% |
19% |
23% |
15% |
|
I would like more time just to myself |
14% |
12% |
17% |
19% |
11% |
|
Rather not say |
1% |
1% |
2% |
1% |
1% |
|
Total |
1103 |
458 |
645 |
473 |
630 |
|
Work/life balance compared to five years ago |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Improved, e.g. the balance between life and work is better |
40% |
36% |
44% |
41% |
39% |
|
Not changed |
32% |
35% |
29% |
26% |
38% |
|
Worsened, e.g. the balance between life and work is worse |
27% |
28% |
25% |
31% |
23% |
|
Rather not say |
1% |
1% |
1% |
2% |
0% |
|
Total |
1103 |
458 |
645 |
473 |
630 |
|
Main issues that cause stress |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Keeping up with bill/mortgage payments |
30% |
26% |
33% |
29% |
30% |
|
Having enough money to live on |
47% |
42% |
51% |
52% |
43% |
|
Work deadlines |
13% |
16% |
10% |
17% |
10% |
|
Workload |
22% |
22% |
21% |
28% |
17% |
|
Job security |
16% |
17% |
15% |
19% |
14% |
|
Work life balance |
19% |
21% |
18% |
25% |
15% |
|
Spending enough time with my family |
17% |
14% |
20% |
21% |
14% |
|
My health |
30% |
27% |
32% |
25% |
33% |
| The health of family and friends |
21% |
17% |
25% |
20% |
21% |
|
Potential health issues |
22% |
23% |
20% |
19% |
24% |
|
My relationship with my partner |
16% |
16% |
17% |
21% |
13% |
|
My relationship with my parents |
10% |
9% |
10% |
16% |
5% |
|
My relationship with my children |
11% |
10% |
12% |
10% |
12% |
|
My work relationships |
9% |
9% |
9% |
11% |
7% |
|
Maintaining friendships |
16% |
16% |
17% |
24% |
10% |
|
Study |
14% |
12% |
16% |
28% |
3% |
|
Staying fit and healthy |
32% |
26% |
38% |
35% |
30% |
|
Organising my social life |
10% |
11% |
9% |
17% |
4% |
|
Something else (please specify) |
7% |
6% |
8% |
5% |
9% |
|
Rather not say |
3% |
3% |
3% |
3% |
3% |
|
Total |
2002 |
737 |
1265 |
820 |
1182 |
|
|
Under 30 |
30 to 39 |
40 to 49 |
Over 50 |
Younger, no children |
Family, children under 18 |
Family, adult children |
Older, no children |
|
STRESS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
How stressed do you feel? |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1 - Not at all stressed |
5% |
9% |
5% |
21% |
6% |
7% |
8% |
21% |
|
2 |
17% |
17% |
22% |
29% |
18% |
19% |
20% |
30% |
|
3 |
28% |
33% |
36% |
29% |
28% |
36% |
32% |
28% |
|
4 |
38% |
27% |
29% |
15% |
35% |
27% |
29% |
16% |
|
5 - Very stressed |
12% |
13% |
8% |
6% |
13% |
10% |
9% |
5% |
|
Rather not say |
1% |
1% |
0% |
1% |
1% |
1% |
2% |
0% |
|
Total |
419 |
401 |
409 |
773 |
422 |
570 |
256 |
704 |
|
Stress compared to a year ago |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Less stressed |
26% |
24% |
24% |
20% |
26% |
25% |
21% |
21% |
|
No different |
31% |
38% |
45% |
62% |
34% |
39% |
43% |
62% |
|
More stressed |
42% |
37% |
29% |
18% |
40% |
35% |
35% |
16% |
|
Rather not say |
1% |
1% |
1% |
0% |
1% |
1% |
1% |
1% |
|
Total |
419 |
401 |
409 |
773 |
422 |
570 |
256 |
704 |
|
Feeling about work/life balance |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I spend more time working than I would like to |
37% |
31% |
24% |
25% |
39% |
25% |
28% |
25% |
|
I have a good work/life balance |
39% |
50% |
53% |
59% |
47% |
48% |
46% |
60% |
|
I would like to spend more time with family and friends |
26% |
19% |
20% |
12% |
21% |
24% |
18% |
11% |
|
I would like more time just to myself |
22% |
14% |
12% |
10% |
19% |
13% |
24% |
8% |
|
Rather not say |
2% |
0% |
1% |
1% |
1% |
1% |
2% |
1% |
|
Total |
210 |
263 |
306 |
324 |
275 |
368 |
134 |
308 |
|
Work/life balance compared to five years ago |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Improved, e.g. the balance between life and work is better |
39% |
44% |
36% |
40% |
40% |
42% |
34% |
39% |
|
Not changed |
25% |
27% |
37% |
39% |
27% |
32% |
33% |
40% |
|
Worsened, e.g. the balance between life and work is worse |
33% |
29% |
27% |
21% |
33% |
25% |
29% |
21% |
|
Rather not say |
3% |
0% |
0% |
0% |
1% |
0% |
4% |
0% |
|
Total |
210 |
263 |
306 |
324 |
275 |
368 |
134 |
308 |
|
Main issues that cause stress |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Keeping up with bill/mortgage payments |
23% |
40% |
38% |
26% |
28% |
41% |
22% |
25% |
|
Having enough money to live on |
51% |
53% |
49% |
40% |
49% |
52% |
50% |
38% |
|
Work deadlines |
20% |
13% |
17% |
8% |
17% |
16% |
18% |
8% |
|
Workload |
31% |
23% |
25% |
14% |
29% |
24% |
26% |
14% |
|
Job security |
20% |
17% |
21% |
11% |
18% |
18% |
21% |
11% |
|
Work life balance |
28% |
21% |
23% |
11% |
21% |
27% |
23% |
10% |
|
Spending enough time with my family |
21% |
21% |
18% |
12% |
17% |
26% |
15% |
11% |
|
My health |
25% |
26% |
21% |
38% |
31% |
19% |
30% |
37% |
|
The health of family and friends |
20% |
21% |
17% |
23% |
18% |
22% |
23% |
22% |
|
Potential health issues |
19% |
18% |
19% |
27% |
19% |
18% |
23% |
25% |
|
My relationship with my partner |
21% |
21% |
16% |
11% |
17% |
25% |
10% |
12% |
|
My relationship with my parents |
17% |
13% |
8% |
3% |
13% |
11% |
13% |
4% |
|
My relationship with my children |
7% |
15% |
14% |
11% |
4% |
19% |
10% |
10% |
|
My work relationships |
11% |
11% |
10% |
6% |
13% |
10% |
9% |
6% |
|
Maintaining friendships |
29% |
16% |
12% |
9% |
26% |
15% |
17% |
9% |
|
Study |
39% |
10% |
5% |
3% |
25% |
11% |
28% |
2% |
|
Staying fit and healthy |
39% |
29% |
24% |
32% |
33% |
30% |
34% |
32% |
|
Organising my social life |
22% |
9% |
5% |
4% |
15% |
8% |
17% |
4% |
|
Something else (please specify) |
4% |
6% |
10% |
9% |
6% |
7% |
6% |
9% |
|
Rather not say |
2% |
4% |
3% |
3% |
3% |
2% |
2% |
4% |
|
Total |
419 |
401 |
409 |
773 |
422 |
570 |
256 |
704 |
