A recent study by the Portuguese Laboratory for Healthy Work Environments (Labpats), which focuses on health and well-being in professional settings, has revealed concerning statistics about the current state of the workforce. Over half of the workers surveyed (55%) expressed a lack of control over important aspects of their lives, and 81.5% reported having little confidence in their ability to manage problems effectively.
This investigation included feedback from 3,822 professionals across several generations, employed in national and multinational organizations within sectors such as education, healthcare, and management. The findings showed that more than half (51%) felt things were not going as they desired, while 76% indicated that their difficulties had burgeoned to unmanageable levels.
Compared to previous research, this being the third iteration of the study, 2024 reflected an increase in the number of professionals who felt unable to control vital aspects of their lives or overcome accumulating challenges.
Tânia Gaspar, the study coordinator and founder of Labpats, commented, “These are two sides of the same coin. Alongside the stress, there’s a perception of failing to manage effectively, with things spiraling out of control. As difficulties increase, there’s a growing sense of inadequacy in managing them, leading to increased frustration and inappropriate behavior.”
The study further highlighted worrying trends, including a rise in the consumption of stimulants, psychotropic medications, tobacco, alcohol, and increased dependence on screens.
“I have already contacted ICAD [Institute for Addictive Behaviors and Dependencies]. They too have observed this progression. It’s interconnected as people seek escapes; women tend to take more psychotropics, and men drink more,” Gaspar added.
Additional findings indicated a rise in both absenteeism and presenteeism—where employees are physically present at work but perform with reduced productivity and efficiency.
The report noted that 10.1% of professionals exhibit high levels of absenteeism, while 20.9% show significant levels of presenteeism.
Gaspar noted that presenteeism is closely linked to the misalignment between work schedules and employees’ biological rhythms. “I have a patient who can’t work in the morning but is highly productive later in the day. He’s a tech genius who solves all the company’s issues but is considering resigning because he can’t cope,” she explained, questioning the company’s potential loss of such a talent.
She argues that companies need to be more attuned to individual capabilities and try to better align work schedules with employees’ biological rhythms and specific tasks.
“Ultimately, what does a company want? It wants productivity. And people want to be productive too, but perhaps not in the current frameworks,” she said.
The study concluded that professionals in remote or hybrid working arrangements reported a healthier work environment.
When compared to previous years’ results, this Labpats study, set to be presented in Lisbon on the 14th, revealed a slight improvement in ethics and values, leadership commitment, and the psychosocial work environment, alongside teleworking conditions. However, there was a slight decline in community involvement (social responsibility) and the availability of health resources. Mental health risks remained unchanged.
