Staff at risk from stress; CAMPAIGN: Stroke alert over 'dangerous' responses.

Byline: By Jon Griffin

BUSINESS leaders in the West Midlands have been urged to help employees tackle workplace stress following a survey showing many are turning to booze and cigarettes to cope.

A new report highlights "dangerous responses" to stress among increasing numbers of employees as pressures mount in offices throughout the UK.

Staff in the West Midlands are some of the most pressurised in the UK, with 64 per cent admitting to finding their jobs stressful, according to a new Stroke in Business report from the Stroke Association, in association with Siemens.

The report found that employees' main responses included increased drinking (28 per cent), smoking (24 per cent) and comfort eating (40 per cent) to help them deal with the demands of their occupations.

The Stroke in Business report calls for UK employers to do more to encourage staff to exercise.

The report also found that stress at work was contributing to workers in the West Midlands finding themselves getting angry (40 per cent) or taking days off (20 per cent).

Employees in the region were found to be among those facing the highest risks of strokes through raised blood pressures.

The publication of the Stroke in Business report coincides with the launch of Siemens Stroke for Stroke Week 2008, which challenges individuals to kick-start a regular exercise regime.