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Why is stress in the workplace an important conversation…
In parallel with society’s improving understanding of mental health, concern over stress levels at work is under the spotlight. Stress is known to decrease employee productivity, motivation and engagement and increase employee sick days.
Created in line with International Stress Awareness Week (1), and National Stress Awareness Day (2) 2019 in the UK, Dolan Contractor Group conducted a comparative survey into the difference between the prevalence, causes, and support networks for work-related stress that are available to either freelancers and contractors or permanent workers.
Why contracting and freelancing has become the choice of many…
Now more than ever before, workers are searching to find a healthy work/life balance and being able to work as a freelancer or as a contractor is seen as the dream for ultimate control and flexibility. This is reflected in the number of self-employed workers reaching a record high of 4.93 million (3) in 2019 and this figure is predicted to continue to rise.
Freelancers and contractors have flourished in today’s society due to a desire for flexible working and the technology now available to make this easier. With impending changes to IR35 tax rules coming into force in April 2020, many freelancers and contractors may be asked by their employer to take on a permanent position or work via an umbrella company, calling into question whether support should be given by an employing company.
With this in mind, we undertook an anonymous survey of employees from 140 UK companies — half of which were contractor and freelance workers and half of which were permanent employees. We asked them whether they have had experience of excessive stress at work and, if they had, the reasons for this stress.