A new report from the International Labour Organization (ILO), a United Nations agency, reveals that more than 840,000 people die annually from health conditions linked to psychosocial risks at work. These risks—including long working hours, job insecurity, and workplace bullying and harassment—are increasingly recognised as a major threat to occupational safety and health across the globe.
In Europe, the toll is particularly stark: the ILO recorded 112,333 deaths, nearly six million disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost, and an economic impact equivalent to 1.43% of GDP each year. The findings underscore a continent-wide challenge that affects workers from Stockholm to Athens, and from Lisbon to Warsaw.
The Heavy Toll on Health
The report notes that work-related psychosocial risks are primarily associated with cardiovascular diseases and mental health disorders, including suicide. Cardiovascular conditions account for the majority of attributable deaths, but the loss of healthy life years is greater for mental disorders. Depression, anxiety, burnout, sleep disturbances, and fatigue are among the most common conditions.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression and anxiety alone lead to approximately 12 billion lost workdays annually. Mental health struggles often drive physical health harms through unhealthy coping mechanisms such as smoking, alcohol consumption, overeating, and physical inactivity, which can lead to obesity, hypertension, and other chronic diseases. The authors warn that “health-related behaviours and psychosocial risks interact over time, with unhealthy behaviours reinforcing and amplifying the adverse health effects associated with psychosocial stress exposure.”
Main Causes of Harm at Work
The ILO identifies several key drivers: long working hours, bullying, job strain, effort–reward imbalance, job insecurity, and violence and harassment. Globally, 35% of workers work more than 48 hours per week. The WHO has found that working 55 or more hours per week is linked to a 35% higher risk of stroke and a 17% higher risk of dying from ischemic heart disease, compared to a standard 35–40 hour week.
Bullying and harassment are also widespread: 23% of workers worldwide have experienced at least one form of violence or harassment in their working life, with psychological violence being the most prevalent at 18%. These issues are not confined to any single sector or country; they affect office workers in Berlin, factory employees in Milan, and hospitality staff in Barcelona alike.
“Psychosocial risks are becoming one of the most significant challenges for occupational safety and health in the modern world of work,” said Manal Azzi, team lead on Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) policy and systems at the ILO. “Improving the psychosocial working environment is essential not only for protecting workers’ mental and physical health, but also for strengthening productivity, organisational performance, and sustainable economic development.”
What Can Be Done
The report emphasises that digitisation, artificial intelligence, remote work, and new employment arrangements are reshaping the psychosocial working environment. Organisations must identify risks and implement preventive measures that address how work is designed, organised, and managed—including workload management, role clarity, staffing levels, and working hours.
When prevention falls short, the ILO calls for timely, non-stigmatising support, such as access to support services, temporary work adjustments, occupational health input, and fair return-to-work processes. These recommendations are particularly relevant as European countries grapple with the mental health impacts of hybrid work and economic uncertainty. For instance, a recent study on urban vs rural upbringing and mental health profiles highlights how environment shapes well-being from childhood, a factor that workplaces must consider.
The economic stakes are high: the combined impact of cardiovascular disease and mental disorders is estimated to cost 1.37% of global GDP annually. In Europe, that figure is 1.43% of GDP, a burden that affects both public health systems and private sector productivity. As the continent faces overlapping challenges from climate change and migration—such as those detailed in the Lancet report on climate inaction—addressing workplace psychosocial risks becomes even more urgent.
The ILO’s findings serve as a stark reminder that work, which shapes identity, social connection, and economic security, can also be a source of harm when poorly designed. For European policymakers and employers, the path forward lies in proactive risk assessment, supportive cultures, and investment in mental health resources.
