UK bosses 'are most stressed in the world'

British managers are the most stressed and unhealthy bosses in the world, a survey shows.

British managers are the most stressed and unhealthy bosses in the world, a survey shows.

Managers in Britain were the least satisfied with their jobs and most likely to suffer from work-related ill-health, according to the Bupa poll.

Cary Cooper, Bupa professor at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology, said: "British managers are more stressed and more exhausted than those in virtually any other country in the world.

"Employees who work the longest hours are likely to be the least happy, least loyal - and least healthy."

Professor Cooper warned that work stress can seriously damage health.

"Long hours, work overload and stress potentially cause poor diet, lack of exercise and heavy drinking or smoking," he said.

The poll of 24 countries assessed physical health, mental health and overall job satisfaction.

Britain scored lowest for physical health, behind Hong Kong and Bulgaria, with Israel topping the league and India coming second.

Only Bulgaria scored lower in the mental-health poll, while India came top.

Britain was again at the bottom of the job-satisfaction poll behind Japan, with Canada coming top and Israel a close second.

Professor Cooper attributed the findings to long hours, the pace of modern technology and "downsizing" or "restructuring", which led managers to worry either that they would lose their job or that they would be doing the work of two or three people.

Britain has the longest working hours in the European Union, with three out of four managers regularly working overtime and 54 per cent working during the evenings.

Bupa said the tell-tale signs of work stress are heavy drinking, poor diet, lack of sleep and exercise, irritability and a refusal to socialise.