Co-workers will often joke about the amount of stress they undergo on the job but now research is proving it is no laughing matter. Workers who are consistently under stress on the job have been found to face many more heath issues than others without unmanageable workloads.

Stress can lead to many medical issues and conditions. Too much stress can lead to fatal consequences and it is time that workers started to pay attention to how their job truly affects them. From back pain to migraines, from heart problems to strokes, individuals who show up to work every day but are not happy with the amount of stress in their workplace environment are susceptible to more sickness and even fatalities than other workers.

Studies indicate the strong need for proactive measures on the part of a company’s management. For instance, instituting health and wellness programs can teach employees how to deal with job stress and live a healthier life. It will also be necessary for management teams to check in with the way job duties are structured to ensure employees are not overtaxed by too much work resulting in stress.

With more than one-fourth of the disability claims filed that are attributed to job stress, it is apparent that more attention needs to be paid to the affects of stress on a human’s body. Employers need to be aware of the work environment they have created for workers and employees need to pay attention to the signals their own bodies are giving.

Consequences of too much stress can prove fatal and not just to older workers. Even younger generations of employees have been put out of work, in the hospital, or have passed away from medical conditions that are the direct result of stress.