A campaign to tackle work-related stress was launched on Tuesday by social affairs minister Lodewijk Asscher.

The aim of the campaign is to encourage employers and workers to talk about work-related stress and to make them aware of the risks.

There will be a ‘week about work stress’ and a Facebook page on the theme ‘I want it to be natural for employers and employees to discuss work-related stress with each other and do something about it’, Asscher said.

Sick leave

Research conducted by the ministry, the central statistics office CBS and TNO show 31% of sick leave is caused by stress at work and 12% of employees suffer a burn-out, broadcaster Nos reports.

Around 15% of workers report undesirable behaviour by bosses or colleagues, and 40% want something done about stressful situations.

‘The well-known saying: no one gets sick from hard work is clearly not true in practice,’ Asscher said.

The FNV trade union welcomed Asscher’s campaign but said there are ‘just too few workers for too much work’. Too many people are doing the work of two which makes them ill, according to the union.