Study: 9/11 produced re-ordered priorities

EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn., Aug. 26 (UPI) -- American workers have taken a second look at their lives since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and as a result about 45 percent have considered switching jobs, a workplace survey by CIGNA Behaviorial Health showed Monday.

"With retirement nest eggs cracking, job security waning and terrorist threats still on the radar screen, employees are facing stresses that are causing them to rethink their priorities," CIGNA Behavioral Health President Keith Dixon said.

The survey, "Worried At Work: Mood and Mindsets in The American Workplace," queried 750 employees over age 18 with workplace benefits and 200 employers nationwide. The survey found 44 percent of respondents said their jobs are more stressful now than a year ago. Forty-seven percent said they're still coping but 11 percent described themselves as overwhelmed.

Nearly all said their attitude toward work has changed since last year because of the economy, worries about getting fired, distrust of corporate America and the reduced value of their retirement plans.

Of the 11 percent who said they had already left a job or planned to do so soon, 70 percent based their decision on wanting to do something different with their lives. Of the 34 percent who decided to stay put, 88 percent based their decision on the need for a steady paycheck and 37 percent said they stayed because of fear of the unknown.

"These figures should catch the attention of employers across the country," Dixon said. "It's hard to build productive and cohesive work teams when more than a third of your people would rather be doing something else."

To cope with stress, 55 percent of those surveyed said they have increased their level of physical activity, 55 percent said they're taking more time for recreation, vacations or just having fun, 47 percent are reading more, signing up for classes or taking up hobbies and 43 percent are turning to religion or introspection.

Seventy-two percent of employees said companies could help reduce stress levels by offering counseling services while 65 percent recommended flexible work schedules. Other recommendations included work-life balance programs, volunteerism and physical fitness, nutrition or other health and wellness programs.

The survey was conducted July 11-17 and has an error margin of 3.6 percent for employees and 6.9 percent for employers.