“Since the pandemic, we haven’t got out of the hole,” says David Büchel, an occupational psychologist and management consultant at the Chamber of Employees (CSL), after reading the 11th edition of the Quality of Work Index, the results of which were unveiled on Wednesday 26 February.

The index score for 2024 is 54.3, slightly down compared to the previous year (54.6). But above all, it confirms a downward trend seen since the index was created in 2014. For that first edition, the score stood at 56.2, before dropping sharply at the end of the (long) covid period, when it fell to 53.5.

“We see that people are doing less and less well at work,” says CSL president . “It’s not enough to focus on competitiveness alone. Health is also a factor in competitiveness.”

Women more at risk

These remarks are illustrated by the focus of the 2024 edition of this survey, conducted this year by the CSL and the Centre national de prévention des addictions (CNAPA). It appears that more than half (51%) of the more than 2,900 employees polled between May and September 2024 were suffering from mental distress. Of these, 28% were suffering from “high” mental distress, according to the results of the Distress Questionnaire-5, the international test they were given.

Women are more exposed to this psychological risk: more than one in three (34%) are suffering from high distress, compared with 24% of men. The hotel and catering industry (40%) and the health sector (31%) are the fields in which psychological health problems are most prevalent. Taking all categories together, 15% of the people surveyed are at high risk of depression.

Sleep and alcohol, two problems

In detail, more than a quarter (26%) of employees have what is termed a “major” sleep problem, based on the results of another international test. And, here again, women are more prone to poor nights of sleep (32% of them, compared with 21% of men). Once again, the hotel and catering (48.9%) and health (30%) sectors are the most at risk. On average, employees in Luxembourg sleep 6 hours and 40 minutes a night.

Nearly half of all employees (49%) drink alcohol, with the results of the questionnaire indicating a ‘very high,’ ‘high’ or ‘moderate’ risk. This proportion rises to 65% of company directors, executives and managers. Around one in six (16%) of them even present a high or very high risk.

At the same time, 14% of employees admit to having already drunk at work or during breaks, while only 0.5% of them say the same about cannabis and 0.3% about other drugs (if they’re telling the truth!).

As for smoking, 24% of respondents say they smoke (rarely or daily), a rate that fluctuates according to age category and occupation. Roughly one out of three 16-24 year olds (36%) have a link with smoking, as do 31% of construction workers and 28% of industrial workers.

Atypical working hours and absenteeism

The CSL is sounding the alarm over the plight of employees working atypical hours. For them, the quality of working life index is 51.8, one of the worst. “We told the [economy] minister ,” says Back. The new legislative provisions on Sunday working and extended working hours “are contrary to all the indicators on health and safety at work.” “It’s counter-productive. Trade relies heavily on cross-border commuters, and we are exposing them to additional risks,” says the CSL president.

As for the issue of absenteeism, “we’re going round in circles,” says vice president . “This discussion is as old as my union activity.”

“Rather than conducting a witch-hunt, shouldn’t we be asking whether people have become ill because of work?” asks Back, at a time when the health and social security ministry has just set up a dedicated working group.

“A lot of work to be done”

“In companies, we’re not in the prevention business, we’re in the reaction business. And when something is done, prevention often boils down to raising awareness among employees,” says Anna-Marie Herdtle, representative of the CNAPA, who took part in the survey.

For example, 60% of employees feel that there is no health-friendly organisation in their company. “We have major gaps in prevention in Luxembourg, and there’s still a lot of work to be done,” concludes Back.

This article was originally published in .