Skip to main content

Employees on job: 49% South Asian workers worried as against 40% global average

By Bharat Dogra* 

There has been growing concern in recent years regarding the extent to which workers and employees are stressed in their work and have strong feelings of alienation. In this context the findings of one of the most extensive surveys on this subject are significant. These can be seen in Gallup’s State of the Global Workplace Report 2022. This is based on findings from a poll of employees of 112,312 business units spread over 96 countries covering almost all parts of the world.
While presenting some of the main findings of the report and its overall perspective the CEO of Gallop Jon Clifton says in his introduction that 60% of workers worldwide are emotionally detached at work and 19% are miserable. If asked did you feel stressed at workplace yesterday, 59% say yes. If asked did you feel worried at work yesterday, 56% answer in the affirmative. If asked did you feel physical pain a lot of the day at work yesterday 33% say yes. If asked whether they felt anger at their job yesterday, 31% say yes. Only 21% are engaged at work, and such high levels of disengagement cost about $7.8 trillion and account for 11% of GNP loss. The report says that an average human being is likely to spend 81396 hours at work in his/her lifetime and so it is really important to know how workers and employees feel when on job.
The report gives slightly different data while reporting world averages which indicate that nearly 21% workers are engaged, 40% are worried, 44% are stressed, 21% are angry and 23% feel sadness at work on daily basis.
It is important to note that in the case of workers in the USA and Canada the worry levels are even higher at 41% and stress levels are significantly higher at 50%. In the case of women workers in USA and Canada the percentage of those who are worried on daily level is even higher at 46. In fact the level of female workers being stressed is the highest in the USA and Canada at 54%. If you have read Barbara Ehrenreich’s book Nickel and Dimed, you may get an idea of why this is so. Also this survey tells us that 63% of employees feel that businesses in their country are affected by corruption.
What may perhaps come as an even bigger surprise to several people is that the per cent of engaged workers is very low in Europe—just 14% compared to 21% world average. In Europe 37% employees are worried at work and 39% are stressed, while 19% are angry and 21% are sad.
In South Asia (including India of course) worry and sadness levels are quite high. Here 49% are worried (compared to 40% world average) and as many as 42% are sad (compared to world average of 23). In fact workers affected by sadness at job are the highest here in percentage terms. At the same time, it is interesting to see that while worry and particularly sadness levels are so high here, the percentage of workers who are stressed on daily basis is lesser here—35% compared to world average of 44%. So it appears that workers can handle stress somewhat better here, despite worrying and being affected by sadness more. Those affected by anger here are much higher in percentage terms compared to world average—34% compared to 21% world average. The percentage of workers who feel businesses to be affected by corruption is also extremely high in South Asia at 81%. The employees engaged with their work are 27%.
In some of the richer regions, even while levels of engagement may be low, workers tend to have a better perception of their overall life prospects. In Europe this is true for 47% of workers, despite those engaged with work being just 14%. This may be because of various welfare benefits workers can access. In South Asia these benefits are largely absent, and so we see that workers in South Asia who have a positive or hopeful perception of overall life prospects is only 11%.
Hence it is clear that the overall picture we get of the involvement and engagement of most employees with their work is a bleak one. Even if we go back to some of the previous polls and studies of Gallup on this issue, we get a similar discouraging view of workers’ perception regarding their employment and work. Around 2017 the workers who were engaged with their work were found to be just 15%. Analysis of 2011-12 data revealed this percentage to be 13 only, while those having negative feeling or feelings of hostility towards their place of work and employment outnumbered those who were positively engaged by 2 to 1. Another Gallup study in Germany suggested that some of the stress and alienation of workplace is carried back home too as 51% of the actively disengaged workers were found to be behaving poorly with their loved ones.
Such studies and polls are important for drawing attention to the disturbing reality of a very important aspect of human life, and thereby to emphasize the need for significant, thoughtful remedial action.
---
*Honorary convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now; recent books include ‘Planet in Peril’, ‘Man over Machine’ and ‘A Day in 2071’

Comments

TRENDING

Abrogation of Art 370: Increasing alienation, relentless repression, simmering conflict

One year after the abrogation by the Central Government of Art. 370 in Kashmir, what is the situation in the Valley. Have the promises of peace, normalcy and development been realised? What is the current status in the Valley? Here is a detailed note by the People’s Union for Civil Liberties , “Jammu & Kashmir: One Year after Abrogation of Art. 370: Increasing Alienation, Relentless Repression, Simmering Conflict”:

Repeated failure to appoint Chief, other commissioners undermining RTI Act

By Anjali Bhardwaj, Amrita Johri* The post of the Chief Information Commissioner of the Central Information Commission (CIC) has fallen vacant with the retirement of Bimal Julka with effect from August 27, 2020. This is the fifth time in the last six years that the Commission has been rendered headless. Four posts of information commissioners are also vacant in the CIC. Currently more than 35,000 appeals and complaints are pending in the commission resulting in citizens having to wait for months, even years for their cases to be disposed, thereby frustrating peoples’ right to know. Since May 2014, not a single commissioner of the CIC has been appointed without citizens having to approach courts. The failure of the government to make timely appointments of commissioners is a flagrant violation of the directions of the Supreme Court. In its February 2019 judgment, the apex court had categorically stated that if the CIC does not have a Chief Information Commissioner or required strength

Sunil Gavaskar, G Viswanath rated Andy Roberts best fast bowler they ever faced

By Harsh Thakor  The West Indies pace quartet or battery of the 1970’s and 1980’s truck terror to deliver a knockout punch, like never in cricket history. One was reminded of bomber raiding an airbase or a combing operation. Andy Roberts was the pioneer in orchestrating or propelling the most fiery and lethal pace bowling attack ever in the history of the game. Simply the godfather of Modern West Indies fast bowlers. He spearheaded the pack from the mid 1970’s .Without Andy the talent of Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Colin Croft would never have blossomed.Michael Holding credits Andy for shaping his great bowling career, by infusing vital elements.

Adivasi land rights question in Telugu states: Digitization process without transparency?

By Dr Palla Trinadha Rao  This paper examines whether the Land Records Modernization Program initiated by the successive governments in Telugu States is beneficial to tribals in the Scheduled Areas in the light of special protective Land laws that are in force there. Digitization process or regularization of land records or land surveys without transparency will result in disempowerment of Adivasis. This can be tested in the case of Adivasis in the Scheduled Areas of Telugu States. British colonialism, through its land revenue policy and elaborate exploitative bureaucratic structure, made land alienable on a large scale especially in tribal areas. 1 Land and the forest produce remain the main source of tribals’ livelihood; but availability of land is restricted by forest reservation on the one hand, and non-tribal encroachment on the other. 2 In the Andhra Area, there were certain laws including the Agency Tracts Interest and Land Transfer Act, 1917 that existed before the inaugurati

Ultimate champion in crisis, arguably best ever skipper: Created history in Aussie cricket

By Harsh Thakor  In the history of cricket few cricketers knit and propelled a cricket team or had such profound influence on the game as Ian Chappell. Ian Chappell was responsible for converting a bunch of talented individuals into a world beating side, giving a dramatic turn to Australian cricket. Few cricketers ever led such a renaissance.

Largest democracy in world has become weakest at hands of fascist Hindutva forces

Note on “The Nazification of India”, a report released By Justice For All: *** This report, the Nazification of India, compares how Hindutva ideology not only is inspired by Nazis and Fascists of Europe, but their treatment of the Muslim minority closely follows developments that resulted in pushing Jews to the gas chambers. Situation is indeed quite alarming. The report says that the largest democracy in the world has become the weakest at the hands of the fascist Hindutva ideology. India today is ruled not just by a political party the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), but its mother organization the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Because the BJP’s government policies are linked to extra-legal enforcement by RSS paramilitary street power, this report has coined the term “The BJP-RSS regime” to reflect their intrinsic links and collaborative relationship. The Nazification of India report marks the anniversary of the Gujarat pogroms of 2002 against Muslims which propelled the BJP-RSS

Varanasi social worker who has devoted her life for the ultra-poor and the marginalized

Passion Vista and its partners profile Founder and Managing Trustee Shruti Nagvanshi as  someone whom women leaders look up to: *** Shruti Nagvanshi, a social worker and human rights activist based in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, has devoted her life to reaching out to the ultra-poor and marginalized communities in India. Born in Dashashwmedh, Varanasi on 2 January 1974, she married Dr Lenin Raghuvanshi on 22 February 1992 and has a son, Kabeer Karunik, a Business management Graduate who is also a national level snooker player.

BSF's unconstitutional, whimsical order violates life, livelihood of Dalits, minorities

Kirity Roy, Secretary, Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM), writes to the Chairman, National Human Rights Commission: *** I want to attract your attention towards the illegitimate restrictions on the life and livelihood of the villagers of Paschim Sahebganj village under Dinhata - II Block and Sahebganj police station in Cooch Behar district of West Bengal by the Border Security Force personnel attached with Dharala Border Out Post under 138 Battalion BSF. The population of Paschim Sahebganj village is around 1480, where almost 75 percent of the villagers belong from Hindu Scheduled Caste (Dalit) and 25 percent from minority Muslim backgrounds.The main occupation of the villagers is agriculture. About 260 acres of cultivable land in the village that belongs to the villagers is located outside the border fencing, which is heavily guarded by the Border Security Force (BSF). The BSF regulates the ingress and egress of the villagers to their fields through the fencing gates that a

An approach to lake/pond restoration by Ramveer Tanvar, Pond Man of India

By Monami Bhattacharya*, Mansee Bal Bhargava**  Lakes/ ponds are often referred to as an elixir of life, a living ecosystem that adds incremental value to the larger biota. Across the tropical landscape of the country lakes/ ponds are a common sight. Lakes/ponds have always shaped the life and livelihood of those dwelling in and around it. The dependence of the local population on these natural resources of water is noticeable since time immemorial. However, they are fading fast in both rural and urbanscapes from the popular parlance with the advance of humanity. It has been a popular notion to value land more than the waterscape and hence these nurturers of life are under stress in several areas. In many instances, these once beautiful waterscapes referred as the ‘Eye of the Earth’ are mostly now only dilapidated garbage dump yards emitting foul smell with no sign of a healthy ecosystem.

Urban crisis: Impact of erosion of democratic framework on Indian cities

By IMPRI Team  On 13th February, 2023, IMPRI Impact and Policy Research Institute, New Delhi in collaboration with ActionAid Association India arranged a book launch followed by lecture series under the title “India’s G20 Presidency & the Urban Agenda for the Developing Countries”. The event was held in Indian International Centre (IIC) Annex, New Delhi. The event began with the book inauguration session, under the honorary presence of Mr Sitaram Yechury, former Rajya Sabha member and General Secretary, CPI (M), accompanied by Mr Sandeep Chachra, executive director, ActionAid Association India. Session 1 | Book Launch: ‘Cities in Transition’ by Mr Tikender Singh Panwar The book launched was “Cities in Transition”, written by Mr Tikender Singh Panwar, former Deputy Mayor, Shimla and a Senior Fellow at IMPRI. Beginning with brief remarks on his book, Mr Panwar outlined the basic subject matter and the purpose behind writing the book, which he considers as a by-product of his experien