Long hours, stress and harassment are causing hundreds of thousands of early deaths, says UN labour agency

This article is published in association with United Nations.

More than 840,000 people die each year from health conditions linked to risks such as long working hours, job insecurity, workplace harassment and bullying, according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO). 

The way that jobs are designed, organised and managed has a major effect on the health and safety of workers, and, according to the study, – The psychosocial working environment: Global developments and pathways for action – the impact is growing, manifesting itself in rising rates of cardiovascular disease and mental disorders, including suicide. 

The report’s authors looked at three interrelated areas of work: the nature of the job (including the demands, responsibilities and tasks), how it is organised and managed and the broader workplace policies in place (such as performance and reward processes and rules preventing violence and harassment).

They estimated the figure of 840,000 deaths per year by looking at global levels of workplace risk factors: job strain, an imbalance between effort and reward, job insecurity, long working hours, bullying and harassment.

Scientific research shows how these risks increase the likelihood of serious health conditions and the risk levels were matched with the latest global mortality and health data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global Burden of Disease study to arrive at the number.

A significant challenge

Many of these risks have been around for a long time, but the ILO is concerned by the effects of the current transformations that are taking place where we work. 

These upheavals include digitalisation, AI, remote work and new job arrangements which – if not addressed properly – can intensify existing problems or create new ones.

“Psychosocial risks are becoming one of the most significant challenges for occupational safety and health in the modern world of work,” says Manal Azzi, Team Lead on OSH Policy and Systems at the ILO. “Improving the psychosocial working environment is essential not only for protecting workers’ mental and physical health, but also for strengthening productivity, organisational performance and sustainable economic development.”

Creating a healthier workplace

The report emphasises that the risks and excess deaths, can be avoided if roots causes are addressed, and if psychosocial risk management is integrated into occupational safety and health systems and supported by social dialogue between governments, employers and workers.

By addressing the risks proactively, the report concludes, countries and enterprises can create healthier workplaces that benefit both workers and organisations – while strengthening productivity and economic resilience.

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Key figures

• Psychosocial risks lead to the loss of nearly 45 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) each year
• 1.37 per cent of global GDP is lost annually due to cardiovascular disease and mental disorders associated with psychosocial risk factors
• 35 per cent of workers work more than 48 hours per week (long working hours are a critical psychosocial risk factor)
• 23 per cent of workers globally have experienced