Professionals under pressure
SOUTH Africa's graduate professionals are more stressed by their families than any other reason, including financial commitments according to a recent survey.
The research, conducted on nearly 3000 of Profmed's graduate professional members reveals high levels of stress facing this demographic.
Profmed CEO Graham Anderson said the firm's Stress Index shows that 40% of respondents ranked family as the leading cause of stress, with 27% citing health, 17% work and only 16% citing financial.
"There are myriad factors that may be attributed to this result including the fact that some professions such as the medical sector demand long hours that could cause friction for other family members," he said.
"Graduate professionals also tend to demand a higher salary as a result of their skills, which are often in short supply, which supports why finance is the least cause of stress amongst this market. But, it is positive to note that these people appear happy with their chosen occupation, particularly given the scarcity of skills we have in South Africa in the graduate professional market."
When questioned about the effects of stress, six out of 10 respondents said it had both a physical and emotional effect on them. "It's important for working professionals to be aware that stress takes a toll on the body, as well as the mind – which can be just as harmful to their overall well-being," said Anderson.
When asked to evaluate their stress levels on a scale of one to five, the majority of respondents do appear to have relatively high stress levels. Only 20% chose one or two, indicating a low level of stress. An additional 66% said they were moderately to highly stressed, while 14% said they were extremely stressed.
A further finding from the survey showed that 38% of professionals use exercise to cope with any stress they may have, with 20% saying a holiday is the preferred method of dealing with pressure. Seventeen percent said they would speak to someone about their anxiety levels while only 8% said they would use medication.
"It is very positive that professionals would first turn to exercise as a way to relieve their stress levels. Many studies have shown that regular exercise reduces stress hormone levels such as adrenaline and cortisol, whilst increasing the production of endorphins, which are the body's natural mood elevators."
It is also encouraging that 73% of respondents believe they manage their stress levels well.
"Effective management of stress is extremely important as high stress levels can lead to a number of health related issues such as heart disease, gastrointestinal problems, migraines, anxiety and depression."
Anderson says an interesting result from the survey is that relatively few professionals have taken time off work in the last six months due to stress, with only 8% citing this as a cause.
