Workers turning to alcohol to cope with stress

More than half the nation’s workforce feels so tense at the end of their working day they reach for the bottle - a new survey has suggested.

The survey of 3,000 employees by healthcare cash plan provider, Medicash, also revealed that one in ten Brits feel stressed out before they even start their working day and 6% say they feel stressed all the time.

Almost a third of workers have called in sick because they had reached the end of their tether while 12%  have quit their job altogether.

The problem is more acute in small businesses with workers 50% more likely to take time off work as a result of stress.

Sue Weir, chief executive of Medicash said: “Worryingly, a third of Britons admitted in the survey to having deliberately drunk too much in a bid to relax and escape work stress.

“Small amounts of alcohol can be good for us but regularly relying on alcohol to lift your mood after a bad day can lead to long-term dependence. Incorporating healthy eating and exercise into your daily routine is one way to break this cycle.”

Over 40% of those working in research and development say they use exercise to help them relax. Twenty percent of those working in electronics use meditation to relax, compared to only 4% of bankers.

Teachers and those working in health are the most likely to have broken down in tears at work whereas recruitment executives are the most likely to keep a cool head under pressure with 13% claiming never to experience stress.

Construction workers found to be under the highest levels of stress of all professions. Nearly half those surveyed said that they need a drink to de-stress at the end of most days. They are also the most likely to call in sick more than any other profession – with 57% percent claiming to have done so twice in the last month.

Sue Weir added: “If you regularly experience stress at work it’s important to develop strategies to help you cope. With nearly half of those surveyed claiming that there wasn’t anyone at work they could confide in it’s also obvious that many employers would benefit from putting measures in place to look after the emotional health of their employees.”