[May 23, 2017] |
|
TEKsystems Survey Finds IT Professionals Setting Firmer Boundaries for Work-Related Stress and Work/Life Balance
In advance of the unofficial start of summer, TEKsystems (News - Alert)®, a
leading provider of IT
staffing solutions and IT
services, today released the results of its annual IT Worker Stress
Test and Work/Life Balance survey which explores IT professionals'
current levels of stress and health effects, expected accessibility and
ability to disconnect from work responsibilities. Formerly known as
Stress and Pride, the survey results point to an environment where IT
workers have placed limits on the levels of stress they are willing to
accept and increased expectations for a reasonable work/life balance,
including the ability to unplug during vacations.
This Smart News Release features multimedia. View the full release here:
http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170523005924/en/
TEKsystems' IT Worker Stress Test and Work/Life Balance Infographic (Graphic: Business Wire)
Key highlights from the survey include:
Stress Levels Stable; Unlimited Accessibility Expectations Fall;
Majority Willing to Sacrifice Pay for Less Stress
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
"I consider the work I am currently doing to be the most
stressful of my career."
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2016
|
|
|
2017
|
Agree
|
|
|
12%
|
|
|
16%
|
|
|
14%
|
Neither agree nor disagree
|
|
|
26%
|
|
|
24%
|
|
|
25%
|
Disagree
|
|
|
62%
|
|
|
60%
|
|
|
61%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
During a normal work week, I'm expected to be accessible:
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2016
|
|
|
2017
|
24/7 - No excuses
|
|
|
13%
|
|
|
18%
|
|
|
9%
|
6 a.m. to midnight
|
|
|
5%
|
|
|
6%
|
|
|
5%
|
6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
|
|
|
17%
|
|
|
14%
|
|
|
19%
|
8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
|
|
|
65%
|
|
|
62%
|
|
|
67%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Has stress at work ever…(percent answering "yes")
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2016
|
|
|
2017
|
Motivated you to seek employment elsewhere?
|
|
|
58%
|
|
|
58%
|
|
|
66%
|
Made you consider taking a new, less stressful job for less pay?
|
|
|
44%
|
|
|
43%
|
|
|
51%
|
-
TEKsystems' Take: Stress levels remain consistent, with
the majority of IT professionals, 6 in 10, reporting they are less
stressed now than at any point in their careers, with 83 percent of
respondents reporting they would still choose IT as a career. This is
certainly aided by the fact that almost 70 percent of those polled
report they are only expected to be accessible during traditional
working hours, indicating a good work/life balance. This, coupled with
the extremely low unemployment rate in IT, may be why 66 percent would
seek other employment if stress became an issue, and why at least half
would do so for less pay.
Three-Quarters Experience Work-Related Stress; Sleeplessness and
Anxiety Top Health Side-Effects
|
|
|
|
|
Percent indicating they suffer from work-related stress
|
|
|
|
2017
|
Job factors increasing stress levels
|
|
|
|
72%
|
Stress levels not affected by work
|
|
|
|
28%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
What is the MOST stressful part of being an IT professional?
|
|
2015
|
|
|
|
2016
|
|
|
|
2017
|
Impact on work/life balance
|
|
27%
|
|
|
|
30%
|
|
|
|
28%
|
Keeping up with organizational requests/workload
|
|
28%
|
|
|
|
35%
|
|
|
|
28%
|
Keeping up with technology
|
|
32%
|
|
|
|
22%
|
|
|
|
27%
|
Coordinating, interacting with co-workers/supervisors
|
|
13%
|
|
|
|
13%
|
|
|
|
17%
|
|
|
|
|
|
Percent indicating they have experienced the following health
issues due to a stressful situation at work
|
|
|
|
2017
|
Sleeplessness (inability to fall or stay asleep)
|
|
|
|
65%
|
Anxiety
|
|
|
|
55%
|
Irritability/short temper
|
|
|
|
48%
|
Weight gain/loss
|
|
|
|
42%
|
Increased blood pressure
|
|
|
|
27%
|
Depression
|
|
|
|
25%
|
Other
|
|
|
|
11%
|
-
TEKsystems' Take: Nearly three-quarters of IT professionals
report that work-related stress contributes to their overall stress
level. This seems to be spread evenly over three primary areas: the
impact on work/life balance, keeping up with organizational
requests/workload and keeping up with technology. Of particular note
is that work/life balance is tied for the top stressor and nearly half
of those asked report they've missed a significant personal event for
something work related. When asked what effect work-related stress had
on their health, sleeplessness took the top spot, with anxiety and
irritability rounding out the top three. At least one-quarter of
respondents reported depression to be a result of work-related stress,
and weight gain/loss and higher blood pressure represented the more
overt physical manifestations of stress.
Nearly Half Make Concessions to Time Vacations Around Work Schedules
in Return for Expected Work Reprieve; Vacation Violations Cause
Interpersonal Stress
|
|
|
|
Do you time your vacation to align with periods of expected
lighter activity at work?
|
|
|
2017
|
Yes
|
|
|
46%
|
No
|
|
|
27%
|
Not applicable, I'm always busy
|
|
|
27%
|
|
|
|
|
Do you think a real vacation - where you totally unplug - is
possible anymore?
|
|
|
2017
|
Yes, absolutely
|
|
|
53%
|
It's possible, but all the stars need to align
|
|
|
37%
|
It's not possible, I am ALWAYS connected
|
|
|
10%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
When on vacation, I'm expected to be accessible:
|
|
|
2015
|
|
|
2016
|
|
|
2017
|
24/7 - No excuses
|
|
|
5%
|
|
|
9%
|
|
|
4%
|
6 a.m. to midnight
|
|
|
2%
|
|
|
2%
|
|
|
2%
|
6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
|
|
|
3%
|
|
|
1%
|
|
|
2%
|
8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
|
|
|
6%
|
|
|
5%
|
|
|
7%
|
I'm not expected to be available
|
|
|
84%
|
|
|
83%
|
|
|
85%
|
|
|
|
|
When on vacation…:
|
|
|
2017
|
I do NOT monitor my work-related communications/activities
|
|
|
46%
|
I DO monitor my work-related communications/activities but do NOT
respond
|
|
|
9%
|
I DO monitor my work-related communications/activities, but ONLY
respond to critical requests and emergencies
|
|
|
42%
|
I perform most of my regular job role responsibilities
|
|
|
3%
|
|
|
|
|
When on vacation…: (percent answering "yes")
|
|
|
2017
|
Has excusing yourself from an activity to address work-related
issues ever caused conflict/friction with your traveling
companions/family members?
|
|
|
37%
|
Have you ever concealed partaking in work-related activities from
traveling companions/family members?
|
|
|
23%
|
-
TEKsystems' Take: While nearly half of respondents alter or
schedule vacation plans depending on workload, another quarter don't
have the option of a slower work schedule around which to take
vacation. But from what respondents report in terms of staying
connected or being accessible, once on vacation, they feel they should
be free from any expectations from their employer. However, when
voluntarily monitoring work-related communications, as 54 percent
report they are, nearly 40 percent report this causes friction with
their families/friends, and nearly a quarter hide their work
activities on vacation.
"Overall, it's still a great time to be a tech pro. Most IT workers are
experiencing lower stress levels than in the past, and they don't feel
like their jobs require them to be accessible outside of reasonable
times," says Jason Hayman, research analyst for TEKsystems. "We've seen
for some time that it's a seller's market if you're an IT pro, so
they're less likely to put up with a more stressful environment when
they know the opportunity is out there to find something better, less
stressful, even if it's for less money." Says Hayman, "When it comes to
their vacation time, they're reporting that it's possible to disconnect
completely. Looking at those who choose to stay connected, it appears it
doesn't aid in keeping stress down. That could be a red flag for them to
start looking at their stress level, how it's affecting them and start
thinking about ways to address it, including looking for a less
stressful work environment."
TEKsystems' Jason Hayman is available for additional commentary. For
more information about the survey, or to schedule an interview, please
contact Nathan Bowen at [email protected].
About TEKsystems®
People are at the heart of every successful business initiative. At
TEKsystems, an Allegis Group company, we understand people. Every year
we deploy more than 80,000 IT professionals at 6,000 client sites across
North America, Europe and Asia. Our deep insights into IT human capital
management enable us to help our clients achieve their business
goals-while optimizing their IT workforce strategies. We provide IT
staffing solutions, IT talent management expertise and IT services to
help our clients plan, build and run their critical business
initiatives. Through our range of quality-focused delivery models, we
meet our clients where they are, and take them where they want to go,
the way they want to get there.
TEKsystems. Our people make IT possible.
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170523005924/en/
[ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]
|