Stress levels are higher among IT company employees than among staff in other sectors of the economy, and are leading to high levels of absenteeism, writes Steven Mathieson.

According to research commissioned by human resources software developer Cyborg Systems, seven out of 10 IT companies felt that stress levels had risen compared to 12 months ago. The survey of 115 UK firms also found that despite four in 10 IT-related organisations thinking absenteeism had risen because of stress, the sector was the least aware of the financial ramifications. Companies that calculated losses resulting from absent staff found they were losing millions of pounds a year.

Clive South, director of resources at recruiter Spring Group, agreed that IT employers were not widely aware of absenteeism. He said that this could partly be down to widespread use of contractors, who tend not to take time off. Contractors were paid only for days when they were present.

Levels of stress are high in IT, South said. ?It?s fair to surmise that people are working harder. A lot of IT departments are leaner than they were a few years ago, and the link from stress to absenteeism is well-proven,? he said.

Jim Bottome, IT director of tobacco and finance group BAT Industries, said that rising stress was not peculiar to IT. ?I think it?s a UK issue, rather than an IT issue,? he said, blaming lower staff levels across companies. ?When business last picked up, headcount didn?t.?

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