Despite layoffs, mounting workloads and slow wage growth, many employed Americans — especially men and urbanites — say tension at work isn't at a full boil.
In a recent survey, only 25 percent say their workplace is too tense, while a third report "almost no tension." Meanwhile, 41 percent say the tension level in their workplace is appropriate.
People from the Midwest/Plains and Northeast regions of the country were likeliest to feel on-the-job strain — 34 percent and 28 percent, respectively. Those in the South and West were apparently more at ease. Only 21 percent and 19 percent of survey respondents from those regions said their workplaces were too tense.
A third of people living in rural or suburban areas said there was too much tension at their jobs, compared with only 23 percent of city dwellers.
More women than men in the survey reported on-site stress. Of female respondents, 28 percent said they were under stress at work, while only 22 percent of male respondents felt the same way. And 37 percent of men said there was almost no tension at their job, compared with 29 percent of women.
The telephone survey of 492 employed U.S. adults was taken March 4-7 by Healthy Companies International, a management consultancy. The sampling error was plus or minus 4 percentage points.
