ILO: Occupational stress, excessive work schedule and harassment cause hundreds of thousands of deaths annually

A recent report by the International Labor Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, draws attention to an increasingly serious phenomenon: psychosocial risks in the professional environment cause over 840,000 deaths annually worldwide. According to the analysis, cited by Euronews, long working hours, constant stress, job insecurity and harassment have devastating effects not only on mental health, but also on physical health, significantly contributing to the occurrence of cardiovascular diseases.

• Work pressure deeply affects employees' health

The report highlights that the work environment directly influences the quality of life of employees. When the workload becomes excessive, tasks are unclear or employees face injustices and constant pressure, the negative effects are felt both emotionally and physically. Specialists point out that these conditions increase the risk of anxiety, depression and professional burnout, but also favor the development of serious conditions such as hypertension, ischemic heart disease or stroke.

• Huge costs for the economy and society

According to ILO data, psychosocial risks at work cause the loss of almost 45 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) annually, an indicator that measures the impact of diseases on life expectancy and quality of life.

From an economic point of view, the costs are estimated at approximately 1.37% of global GDP, which makes this problem a major challenge for world economies.

• Europe faces an alarming impact

The situation is also particularly serious in Europe, where over 112,000 people lose their lives annually due to harmful psychosocial conditions at work. In addition, the economic costs exceed 1.4% of the region's GDP, demonstrating the scale of the phenomenon. The report shows that approximately 35% of employees worldwide work more than 48 hours a week, which significantly increases health risks. World Health Organization data indicates that people who work more than 55 hours a week have: a 35% higher risk of stroke; a 17% higher risk of death from heart disease.

Doctors warn that chronic stress affects blood pressure, heart rate and promotes unhealthy behaviors, such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption or unbalanced diet.

• Harassment and bullying worsen the crisis

Another major factor is psychological violence in the workplace. Approximately 23% of workers worldwide have been exposed to forms of harassment or bullying. These experiences can lead to: depression; anxiety; sleep disorders;

burnout. Lack of support from employers and fear of stigma prevent many employees from seeking help, which worsens the long-term effects.

• Digitalization is changing the nature of occupational risks

The transformations brought about by digitalization, remote work and the integration of artificial intelligence are profoundly changing employment relationships, generating new challenges for occupational health. ILO experts believe that current policies must be adapted to respond to new professional realities and to prevent deterioration in the health of employees. To limit the impact, the ILO recommends: more efficient management of workload; clarification of professional responsibilities; combating harassment; increasing staffing where necessary; psychological support services; equitable return-to-work programs after periods of mental impairment. The report confirms that psychosocial risks have become one of the most important global public health and economic productivity problems. In a modern economy in constant change, protecting the mental and physical balance of employees becomes an essential condition for the sustainability of the labor market.