Stress affects both individuals and organisations. Kvarnstrom (1997), of the International Labour Organisation, reports that stress may impair individual health and the ability to cope with working and social situations, causing work performance and relationship strains. For organisations, stress causes absenteeism, increased medical costs and higher turnover. Cox et al. (2000) report that 50-60 percent of all lost
working days are stress related. In Britain, this amounted to about 20 million lost working days in 2001, more than 30 times greater than industrial action losses. Stress-related illnesses now exceed back problems as Britain’s most common workplace ailment, costing industry £370 million yearly. A survey of 630 UK trade union safety representatives (Sparks and Cooper, 1997) showed that 66 percent named stress as the main health concern for workers.