London - One in four employees are in a near-constant state of stress, research shows.
Senior managers are even more anxious, with half saying they are stressed all or most of the time.
A survey found almost half of workers blamed their workload, while managers said financial worries was their biggest concern.
Despite employment reaching a record high last month, a fifth of both groups still regularly worried about job security.
Among senior bosses, 92 percent said they had felt stressed at some point during their career, according to a survey by AXA PPP healthcare.
The majority of both managers and employees said they felt most stressed at work.
But a quarter of bosses cited their home life as the most stressful environment, compared to a sixth of other workers.
The online survey polled 1,000 senior managers, executives, chief executives and company owners and 1,000 other employees undertaken.
Dr Mark Winwood, at insurance firm AXA PPP healthcare, said: ‘It is concerning to see that almost half of the senior managers surveyed report experiencing constant stress.
‘Occasionally experiencing symptoms of stress is to be expected. However, chronic stress can create or exacerbate existing mental health issues, including anxiety and depression and, as such, it is important to manage.
‘By promoting stress-reducing behaviours wherever possible, such as a reduction in unnecessary out-of-hours emails, flexible working and an open culture where all employees can discuss their concerns and issues, businesses can minimise the effects of stress on all levels of the workforce.
‘Having a company culture that is open about stress and mental ill health will benefit everybody.’
It comes as a separate report found that female breadwinners are more likely to feel stressed about their finances than men.
Four in ten women who earn more than their partners said they felt under pressure to maintain a regular income to meet their financial commitments compared to a third of men.
But the research by insurer LV= also found that female breadwinners were more likely to express pride in their career achievements, with a third agreeing with this sentiment, compared to less than a quarter of male breadwinners.
Myles Rix, of LV= Protection, said: ‘Although it is great that women who out earn their partners are proud of their career achievements, on the flipside they also admit to feeling more stressed about their financial responsibilities and the need to maintain an income than men who have higher salaries.’
Daily Mail