A new survey from the Swedish Working Environment Authority shows that 25 percent have health problems because of the job.
Fatigue, physical pain and aches are the most common complaints.
– There is a lot to do here, says Ann Ponton Klevestad, unit manager for statistics and analysis, Swedish Work Environment Agency.
1.3 million employed people in Sweden have problems with their health because of their work, according to the Swedish Work Environment Authority’s new survey. So every fourth professional worker. It is above all the high workload that is the reason.
– It is common to have it in combination with stressful working positions, long periods of sitting still or also to have demanding customers, patients or students, says Ann Ponton Klevestad, unit manager for statistics and analysis Swedish Work Environment Agency.
Fatigue and difficulty sleeping
It is especially in the female-dominated health and care professions that many state that they do not feel well.
The most common health problems are fatigue, physical pain and aches, but also problems such as sleep difficulties, anxiety and poorer concentration.
One in three states that the problems are so great that they have taken sick leave from work.
But many do not get help, the survey shows.
– Almost eight out of ten say that their managers know about the problems, but only four out of ten state that they also get help to find solutions, so there is a lot to be done here, says Ann Ponton Klevestad, unit manager for statistics and analysis, Swedish Work Environment Agency.
Homework relieves the discomfort
The survey also shows that those who work from home one to four days a week also have fewer problems. But Ann Ponton believes that it is too early to draw conclusions about how homework in itself affects health.
– Employers need to take responsibility for ensuring that everyone has a good working environment, regardless of where the work is performed, says Ann Ponton Klevestad, unit manager for statistics and analysis, Swedish Work Environment Agency.