13/03/2008
The French minister of Labour Xavier Bertrand has just announced the launch of a comprehensive survey aimed at measuring stress at the workplace. This survey also intends at identifying the most affected sectors. Several measures to tackle work-related stress have been unveiled by Xavier Bertrand. They are mainly based on recommendations published in a report commissioned by the Government.

France is certainly lagging behind many other European countries when it comes to coping with work-related stress, acknowledged Xavier Bertrand at a press conference held on 12 March 2008. The French Minister also made known that an "epidemiological surveillance system" on suicides in the workplace will be set up in 2009. During the last few months, France has been hit by a series of suicides committed by employees in their workplace. The car sector - mainly Renault and Peugeot - was the most affected.

According to the International Labour Organisation, the cost of work-related stress accounts for 3-4% of the GDP and a quarter of sick leave days are caused by psycho-social problems.