Survey Finds Money the Top Cause of Stress for Japanese Workers

According to a Zurich Life Insurance Japan survey targeting 1,000 businesspeople, the most common stressful factor respondents felt in their work was “salary, bonuses” (21.7%). Other main factors causing them stress included “job requirements” (17.8%), “interpersonal issues in the workplace” (15.4%), and “issues with work superiors” (13.6%).

The survey, conducted in early August 2024, targeted employed people in Japan aged 20 to 59. This is the fourth consecutive time that “salary, bonuses” have been the top cause of stress since Zurich Life began running the survey in 2017.

At 46.1%, nearly half of all respondents answered that they felt mental health issues or anxiety due to stress, including those who said “somewhat.”

The main reasons respondents gave for feeling mental health issues or anxiety were “interpersonal issues in the workplace” (45.8%), “financial concerns” (38.4%), and the “burden of work responsibilities” (38.2%).

When respondents were asked what they had done during their paid vacation the previous year, many had apparently avoided stress, including 48.7% who “took it easy and relaxed,” and 37.8% who “traveled within Japan.” In contrast though, nearly 30% used their vacation to do more of their daily home activities, saying they “did cleaning, washing, and other housework.”

(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo © Pixta.)