Agency PRs have highest stress levels and 21% have a mental health condition, finds CIPR
Research into the public relations profession has discovered that over a fifth of PRs have been diagnosed with a mental health condition, while 75% said that agency or consultancy comms was most stressful sector.
The study discovered that the highest stress levels in the sector are experienced from within agencies and consultancies, with independent practitioners saying they felt the least stressed.
According to the CIPR’s State of PR research, which looked at the mental health implications of working within the communications sector, 21% had been diagnosed with a mental health condition. 4% chose not to respond to the question.
The revaluation also found those who most rated their stress levels highly were working within communications on the agency and consultancy side (73%) with only 44% of independent practitioners stating the same experience. Elsewhere, those working on a public sector communications team rated their environment as the second-highest for stress (67%) followed by those working in the private sector (64%) and not-for-profit organisations (59%).
Of respondents who had discussed resulting issues with their manager, 36% said they had gone to receive counselling while 28% were given time off. Just under a quarter however (23%) claimed that nothing had happened after discussing mental health issues with their boss.
The same number (23%) also revealed that they had taken sick leave on the grounds of stress, anxiety or depression.
Further details from the research, released on Wednesday (3 April) can be viewed in the accompanying video above.