A recent survey of nearly 3,000 professionals conducted by LinkedIn found that half (49 percent) of workers feel stressed in their jobs. Workers cited several different drivers of stress, but one in particular stood out as a key source of stress among the majority.
Seventy percent of those surveyed said workload or difficulty finding work-life balance was the biggest cause of stress. This was true across the board, regardless of age, gender, or seniority.
Behind workload, the following sources of work stress rounded out the top five:
Confidence in job future (64 percent)
Sense of purpose/direction (64 percent)
Colleagues/work politics (63 percent)
Access to tools to do your job (62 percent)
Demographic differences
While workers of all ages experienced stress related to the amount of work on their plate, the survey found a demographic difference underlying one stress-driver.
LinkedIn found that Generation Xers were more likely to get stressed about confidence in their job future.
“This is could be stemming from AI and how it’s rapidly changing industries,” according to LinkedIn. The website for job seekers noted that its data shows that Gen Xers are “less likely to have AI skills than their millennial counterparts, and unlike Baby Boomers, they still are a good 20 years away from retirement.”
Millennials reported feeling most stressed about their sense of purpose and their opportunities to learn and grow.
Combating the top two stress drivers
Workers who tend to get stressed over a lack of work-life balance should try to say “no” more, according to LinkedIn Learning Instructor and Time Management Guru Dave Crenshaw.
“By taking on less, you’ll be able to better execute your most important work, and you’ll feel less stress at work,” explained LinkedIn. “This starts with setting realistic priorities – and then relentlessly adhering to them.”
To knock out stress that arises from fear about the future of your job, experts recommend making “active learning” part of your routine. The World Economic Forum recommends learning soft skills and at least the basics of AI.
“Not only will this reduce your stress at work, it’ll make you more marketable as well,” LinkedIn noted.