Most senior managers find their jobs stressful

The findings, from HR software provider Ciphr, showed 98% of the 265 senior managers polled found at least one aspect of their work stressful, while two-fifths (83%) are affected by three or more work-related stressors (the average, per person, is eight).
 
Yet, despite the stress their work causes, just 4% claim not to like their jobs.
 
Their biggest concerns were identified as the cost-of-living crisis (30%), high inflation and rising prices (29%), and exhaustion or burnout (22%).
 
Other major stress triggers, for one in five (20%) survey respondents, include coping with the economic downturn and threat of recession, their workload and to-do lists, and unfinished work tasks. 

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Around one in six reported being worried by employee retention and staff turnover issues (17%), rising interest rates (17%), business viability and profitability concerns (16%), and ongoing wage inflation (16%).

Claire Williams, chief people officer at Ciphr, says: “Since the pandemic, and with the ongoing impact of the cost-of-living crisis, there has been a lot of focus on the importance of alleviating workplace stress and what employers can do to safeguard their employees’ mental health. 

"But less is said, perhaps, about the huge pressures that people in senior management and leadership roles feel and how stress impacts them."

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She added: “It is important for organisations to be really mindful of the influence that work has on an individual’s stress levels – especially if they are senior management or the CEO – as they may be less likely to discuss how they are feeling. 

"The best way to support them is for organisations to work proactively with their senior managers to either help relieve those stresses, where possible, or give them tools and strategies to cope with those stresses in a more targeted and positive way.

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“Stress, in general, doesn’t always need to be perceived as a negative – lots of people really thrive under stress and high-pressure situations – and produce some of their best work.  But when high levels of stress cause anxiety, that’s when increased risks to the business can start presenting themselves, through ill health, higher turnover of senior managers, ineffective leadership, or poor performance.

"It’s definitely in an employer’s interest to understand how their managers are feeling and what they can do to help, if there’s a problem, before it impacts the wider business.”