An investigation of the relationship between psychological health and workload among managers.
BACKGROUND
Anecdotally, many workers complain of stress at work. However, the relationship between work and stress needs clarification to allow risk assessment and risk management of this hazard in the workplace.


OBJECTIVE
To examine relationships between working hours, perceived work stressors, and psychological health in a group of managers.


METHODS
Managers at two factories were invited to participate in an anonymous cross-sectional survey. All were asked to complete a work diary for a period of 1 week and a questionnaire comprising the 30-item General Health Questionnaire, an anxiety and depression scale, and questions identifying perceived workplace stressors.


RESULTS
Over 60% of managers were above the threshold of caseness on at least one measure of psychological health. No statistically significant relationship was demonstrated between actual hours of work and psychological health. A relationship was demonstrated between some perceived workplace stressors and actual hours worked, and between some perceived workplace stressors and psychological health.


CONCLUSIONS
A large proportion of managers in a typical production environment appeared at risk of developing psychological illness. Hours of work were not directly related to psychological health, but were significantly associated with individual perception of some work stressors which, in turn, were associated with measures of psychological health. Perceived workload appeared more important in determining psychological health than actual workload.
Hobson
J
J
Department of Occupational Medicine, St Luke's Hospital, Little Horton Lane, Bradford BD5 0NA, UK.
Beach
J R
JR
D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D006801:Humans; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000523:psychology*; D011590:Psychology, Industrial; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance / Q000523:psychology; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*