Stress at work causes most sickies.

STRESS at work is causing more and more Scots to call in sick, a new report reveals.

A study showed almost half long-term sickness can be put down to stress.

The nationwide survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development found that each worker takes 10 sick days per year, up from 9.3 days last year, which costs employers pounds 520 per worker.

Diane Sinclair of the CIPD said: "Our survey suggests that organisations need to do more to tackle stress among their staff." The report comes on the back of a recent disciplinary crackdown by Glasgow City council on regular absentees amongst its 36,000 staff.

Sackings and warnings for absenteeism rocketed by 50 per cent last year as the council took action to stem levels of absence that were at 60 per cent in some departments.

The Scottish Executive recently identified that stress among teachers was increasing and was considering ways of tackling the problem.