More than 840,000 people die every year from health conditions linked to psychosocial risks at work – including long working hours, job insecurity, and workplace harassment– according to a new report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), a United Nations agency.
Work-related psychosocial risks are mainly associated with cardiovascular diseases and mental health disorders, including suicide, the report noted.
“Psychosocial risks are becoming one of the most significant challenges for occupational safety and health in the modern world of work,” said Manal Azzi, team lead on Occupational Safety and Health (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,” she added.
Work shapes identity, social connection, and economic security, and its design and organisation determine whether it is coherent and adequately resourced, or whether excessive demands, role ambiguity, and perceived unfairness create harm.
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The heavy toll on health
The report found that health hazards lead to nearly 45 million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost each year, with the combined impact of cardiovascular disease and mental disorders estimated to result in 1.37 per cent of global GDP lost annually.
In Europe alone, the ILO reported 112,333 deaths, close to six million DALYs, and 1.43% GDP loss.
Cardiovascular diseases account for the majority of attributable deaths, yet the overall loss of healthy life years is greater for mental disorders, the authors wrote.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression and anxiety account for approximately 12 billion lost workdays annually.
The most common conditions include depression, anxiety disorders, burnout, sleep disturbances, and fatigue.
Mental health struggles can also drive physical health harms through unhealthy coping mechanisms often adopted to manage stress and fatigue.
Smoking, alcohol consumption, overeating, and physical inactivity due to problems in the workplace can lead to obesity, hypertension, and other chronic diseases.
“Evidence also suggests that health-related behaviours and psychosocial risks interact over time, with unhealthy behaviours reinforcing and amplifying the adverse health effects associated with psychosocial stress exposure,” the authors wrote.
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What are the main causes of harm at work?
The report identifies long working hours, bullying, job strain, effort–reward imbalance, job insecurity and violence and harassment as the main drivers of bad health among workers.
“It is important to recall that long working hours, a critical psychosocial risk factor associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, remain widespread,” the authors noted.
The ILO estimates that globally, 35% of workers work more than 48 hours per week.
Research by the WHO found that working 55 or more hours per week is associated with an estimated 35% higher risk of a stroke and a 17% higher risk of dying from ischemic heart disease, compared to working 35 to 40 hours a week.
Bullying and other forms of harassment and violence are also flagged as a major concern.
The report noted that 23% of workers globally have experienced at least one form of violence or harassment in their working life, with psychological violence being the most prevalent at 18%.
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What can be done
Digitisation, artificial intelligence, remote work and new employment arrangements are reshaping the psychosocial working environment, requiring organisations to identify risks and implement preventive measures.
These should address how work is designed, organised, and managed, including workload management, role clarity, staffing level, and working hours.
When prevention falls short, the ILO calls for timely, non-stigmatising support, such as access to support services, temporary work adjustments, occupational health input, and fair return-to-work processes.
