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Swede stress lowest in the world: study
Swedish business leaders suffer the lowest rate of increased stress in the world, far behind their Chinese and Mexican counterparts, according to a new survey.
Published: 03 May 2010 08:30 CET
Swedish business leaders suffer the lowest levels of stress in the world, far behind their Chinese and Mexican counterparts, according to a new survey published by US consultancy firm Grant Thornton.
Only 23 percent of Swedish business leaders experienced themselves to be more stressed in November 2009 in comparison to a year before, in contrast to 76 percent in mainland China, according to the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR).
The report surveyed 7,400 privately-owned businesses in 36 countries in November 2009 and found that Chinese (76), Mexican (74), Turkish (72), Vietnamese (72) and Greek (68) business leaders experienced the highest levels of increased stress.
The cool Swedish business leaders were joined by the Danes (25), Finns (33), Australians (35) and Canadians (36) in enjoying the lowest levels of increased stress worldwide, with the global average being 56.
Business leaders were asked about the major causes of workplace stress. The most common cause was the economic climate with 38 percent, followed by pressure on cash flow (26), competitor activities (21), and heavy workload (19).
The report indicated that there was a link between GDP growth and stress levels with business leaders in many of the faster developing countries experiencing higher levels of increased stress. Although Ireland, Spain and Greece also rated highly on the tables.
The study also appeared to establish a link between holidays and stress with countries at the top of the stress league being those where business owners take fewer holiday days each year.
Typically business leaders in northern European countries take the greatest number of holiday days with the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Finland all taking between 22 and 24 days per annum with correspondingly relative low stress levels as a result. By contrast in Vietnam, rated third in the stress league, business owners take an average of only seven days of annual holiday.
Grant Thornton launched a major annual survey of the attitudes and expectations of small and medium-sized businesses in European countries in 1992, it was expanded to cover the global environment in 2003.
Only 23 percent of Swedish business leaders experienced themselves to be more stressed in November 2009 in comparison to a year before, in contrast to 76 percent in mainland China, according to the Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR).
The report surveyed 7,400 privately-owned businesses in 36 countries in November 2009 and found that Chinese (76), Mexican (74), Turkish (72), Vietnamese (72) and Greek (68) business leaders experienced the highest levels of increased stress.
The cool Swedish business leaders were joined by the Danes (25), Finns (33), Australians (35) and Canadians (36) in enjoying the lowest levels of increased stress worldwide, with the global average being 56.
Business leaders were asked about the major causes of workplace stress. The most common cause was the economic climate with 38 percent, followed by pressure on cash flow (26), competitor activities (21), and heavy workload (19).
The report indicated that there was a link between GDP growth and stress levels with business leaders in many of the faster developing countries experiencing higher levels of increased stress. Although Ireland, Spain and Greece also rated highly on the tables.
The study also appeared to establish a link between holidays and stress with countries at the top of the stress league being those where business owners take fewer holiday days each year.
Typically business leaders in northern European countries take the greatest number of holiday days with the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark and Finland all taking between 22 and 24 days per annum with correspondingly relative low stress levels as a result. By contrast in Vietnam, rated third in the stress league, business owners take an average of only seven days of annual holiday.
Grant Thornton launched a major annual survey of the attitudes and expectations of small and medium-sized businesses in European countries in 1992, it was expanded to cover the global environment in 2003.
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The only time I ever see Swedish people get fired up and excited is over sport
i was saying,having returned from skattsverket this morning,i understand why swedish management do not get stressed as it appears that they do not show any concerns in regarding the running of the system ,or peoples issues or problems,which i assume is their job to deal with,and why you and i pay them with our tax revenue.
I look forward to seeing the volvo management team being stoked into action by their new Chinese paymasters......best of luck.....welcome to the real world!
I don't know why anybody would think that carrying stress from work is a good thing. You people should be praising Sweden for this, not critisizing. I'm also very glad to see that this study also ranks Canada in the laid back catagory.
The ''naysayers'' are not against the fact that Swedish workers are the most relaxed and chilled out folk. They are just bashing the Swedish way of working. August and December almost the entire country is on vacation and when people actually do work they spend about maybe on average a good hour of doing actually work and the rest of the time drinking their coffees at the local cafe. When anybody wants anything done here in Sweden you have to wait 3 to 6 months even for the most simplest of tasks.
I think some IT jobs are very high stress. I speak from experience! I haven't had an IT job in the USA so I can't compare it.My experience has been that some (not all) Swedish companies tend to not always have good processes in place. This makes it much more stressful for the people who work there. A lot of overtime can sometimes be a factor too.
Workers, including doctors, have to do EVERYTHING themselves...no such thing as secretaries, thus the amount of paperwork is overwhelming. This obviously gets in the way of quality of work, not to mention efficiency. Apparently, Sweden can't afford secretaries, clerks and the like...oh no, that might actually open the job market....just think, more people might actually have jobs. duh?
I worked in one of the largest Swedish organizations. Their inefficiency was epic; no wonder they still lose money hand over fist. There is no service staff or secretaries.The managing director, when not on a trip, would make the coffee for morning meetings, supposedly demonstrating equality or something. How much does that coffee preparation cost, considering his salary?
Doctors have to use precious time on red tape and secretarial work, leaving them five mintues to listen to the patient.
Sweden needs to swap the old "flat" organization for some hierarchy, get leaders who will lead, and support staff who support.
Perhaps they are talking about the lack of stress due to not being competitive? They really do not care if they make a lot of money or are productive in their jobs. They don't take these things seriously (the majority, not all of course) Therefore, the stress of being the best is lifted. The lagom attitude seems to work for them.
I am working in IT in Sweden and although I am "low in the ladder", I feel less stressed here than when I am lying in a beach under the Spanish summer sun (much less being an IT business owner in Spain...).