From bad to worse: The statistics regarding work-related stress and our emotional health at work have been getting progressively worse over the past 30 years. A recent global survey demonstrates just how bad things currently are:

The truth of the matter is that in the modern-day workplace, a majority of people trying to provide for themselves and their loved ones find that their paycheck comes at the price of a hefty emotional toll. We have less patience for our loved ones at home, we are more irritable with our friends, less in touch. We feel run down, lethargic, less happy, and more on edge. That such a majority of employees report feeling that way demonstrates that we are well aware of the detrimental effects of our workplaces on our emotional well-being. In fact, most employees are willing to "provide less" in order to limit the emotional damage they sustain at work.

Many employees believe that their manager has a significant impact on their workplace emotional health. 35 percent of employees say their manager fails to recognize the impact they have on their team’s mental well-being and a whopping 68 percent of employees would like their managers to do more to support their mental health. This raises a few questions; does my manager have an easier time emotionally than me? Is it worth my time and effort to attempt to get promoted in order to enjoy better emotional health and well-being at work (as well as improved compensation)?

In other words, does climbing the ladder of success alleviate work-related stress?

I'm sorry to report that, sadly, it doesn't. It might even make things worse.

What if you climb the ladder of success right to the top? Will that help? Nope:

Changing Corporate Culture: The great news for corporate leaders is that they can actually increase their company's revenue, their own popularity, and their employee's emotional health and well-being by doing one thing: Adopting a corporate culture of caring and modeling it top-down by treating everyone kindly and with respect (even the harshest of business decisions could and should be delivered kindly and with respect). But what can lower-level managers do? Every manager has the power to introduce a culture of caring to the people who report to them, and if enough managers do this at all levels, it will transform the culture of the organization.

References

Work stress on rise? Comparative analysis of trends in work stressors using the European working conditions survey

Mental Health at Work: Managers and Money