01/04/2008
A high proportion of PSA Peugeot-Citroen employees are stressed or hyperstressed reports a study commissioned by senior management following a spate of suicides last year at the car group’s Mulhouse (eastern France) plant. 23% of manual workers are hyperstressed, i.e., feeling pressured beyond their ability to cope. Women in all occupational groups were most affected along with male manual workers: 28% compared with 18% for men. The study of a representative panel of 3 161 employees at the Mulhouse, Velizy and Sochaux sites found that the Mulhouse site was worst-affected with 21.1% of employees suffering hyperstress.

On the plus side, the report at least puts numbers on an undeniable state of affairs: above-average anxiety levels, and a high level of depressive disorders. Accurate snapshot it may be, but it is short on analysis of the causes. CGT rep Bruno Lemerle notes in passing that nei ther the employee reps nor the occupational health service were asked to contribute to the study.

"It’s as far as the exercise goes; it doesn’t pinpoint unhealthy forms of work organization", he says. The human resources director has already "scoped" the possible reforms, which will not under any circumstances be allowed to detract from PSA’s competitiveness.