Suffering at work

One-third or more of our lifetime is at work. Causes and conditions of competition and perpetual changes bring dissatisfaction, suffering, and pain. Responding to changes is ceaseless. Feeling restless, tired, disconnected, or depleted? 

Mental health

Long hours, multiple demands, lack of efficacy, work-place politics, discrimination, unscrupulous bosses, moral injury – these pressures and more are causing untold damage to the mental wellbeing of staff across the world.

Gallup’s survey in 2022 found that 40% of workers experienced stress the previous day. 

 

The nature of work

Meaningless tasks, presenteeism, unstructured work, and soul-less employment – all contributory factors to a sense that, for many workers, their jobs are simply unrewarding. 

Just 22% of workers globally say they feel engaged by their work. 

Pay

For too many workers, their pay simply doesn’t match the cost of living in their country or the expectations and pressures that are put on them by society. While the number of billionaires continues to rise, just 22% of people say their pay is adequate for their living expenses. 

 

Discrimination

Women and minority groups still face discrimination at every stage of the employment cycle from recruitment through to pay and promotions and treatment by other workers and managers.

Research by the University of California found that half of the world’s countries don’t offer help if a worker reports discrimination and a quarter don’t have any rules preventing discrimination. Globally, women earn 16% less on average than men.

Rights

While women, the LGBTIQA+ community, and people of color are more likely to experience discriminatory practices, all workers across the world can still suffer from a lack of – or poor enforcement of – basic rights. 

Research by the International Trade Union Confederation found that 65% of countries prohibit unions and 87% have violated the right to strike. According to the International Labour Organization, a quarter of countries globally do not provide guaranteed sick pay – including the United States.