According to the International Herald Tribune, U.S.-style work stress is spreading to Europe:
According to Stephen Palmer, professor of psychology at City University, London, too many companies are also rewarding bad behavior by encouraging staff, either overtly or indirectly, to work longer hours or more intensively.
“In industries like oil and banks you have companies that are making billions,” he said. “There’s no excuse for them to treat their staff like this.”
Not to worry though, Helpguide.org helpfully suggests:
If you feel stress building, take a break. Walk away from the situation. Take a stroll around the block, sit on a park bench, or spend a few minutes meditating. Exercise does wonders for the psyche. But even just finding a quiet place and listening to your iPod can reduce stress.
But if you think Western banks and oil concerns cause us Westerners too much stress, just check out the meanies running Eastern iPod factories:
In June, London’s Mail on Sunday newspaper ran a story documenting forced overtime and use of corporal punishment, including having workers stand still for long periods and do push-ups in the factory that builds iPods for Apple.
The story prompted a series of Chinese journalists to investigate conditions at the factory. One Beijing Times story reported that workers averaged 80 hours of overtime each month, far more than labor laws permit.
Apple responded quickly, sending a team of inspectors to the factory to interview workers and study personnel records.
In August it said that while Foxconn complied with its supplier code of conduct in “the majority of areas audited,” management had committed some violations, including disciplining workers by making them stand at attention, a practice Apple said it would ask Foxconn to discontinue.
Nice of Apple to ask, at least. I don’t know about you but when I get stressed out, nothing seems to relax me more than filling up my Liebao SUV with premium gasoline, cranking the iPod up to 11, and driving down to HSBC to apply for another credit card…
