Workplace Stress: The New Second-hand Smoke

You’ve quit smoking, you’ve convinced your partner to quit, and you’re revelling in the newfound healthy glory of life sans cancer sticks. Too bad you’re so stressed about your job! A 2015 report from researchers at Harvard Business School and Stanford University suggests that significant job stress can be more damaging than exposure to second-hand smoke. Researchers looked into the effects of job stress on employee health and some of their causes, citing that many wellness programs tend to focus on the outcomes of stress rather than the root sources.

The biggest stressor turned out to be the fear of soon losing your job, which dramatically increased the incidence of poor health.