Few would expect to hear the death knoll at work, but 80% of people name their job as the main source of stress – an emotional state of tension that can have long-term negative effects on health.

Studies show that chronic stress can increase people’s chances of experiencing a diagnosable mental or emotional disorder, suffering from depression and anxiety, and having panic attacks.

And it’s not just psychological. Chronic stress is also linked to increases in metabolic syndrome, a collection of signs and symptoms – obesity, high blood pressure, and a larger waist size – that increase the risk of heart disease. Three out of four doctor’s visits are for stress-related ailments or complaints!

Work-related stress can also have an effect on family life. Men and women with greater amounts of stress were more reactive to the normal ups and downs of relationships. Alcohol consumption also has a positive correlation with amount of stress an adult takes home.

All of this could easily be avoided – at least 75% of people said the most stressful aspect of their job is their immediate boss. Find out how your leadership and employees could benefit from a closer examination of work-related stressors in our ebook Stress is Killing You.