85% of workers ‘burnt out and exhausted'
Nearly nine in ten workers have experienced symptoms of burnout or exhaustion due to work, research conducted by Reed, the recruitment company, reveals.
Reed found that 85 per cent of workers have experienced symptoms of burnout, while almost half (47 per cent) have needed to take time off work due to their mental health.
Young workers are feeling the pressure of burn-out the most, the research found, with 91 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds and 94 per cent of 25 to 34-year-olds saying they have experienced symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog and headaches because of their work.
At the same time, despite growing conversations about workplace wellbeing, longstanding stigmas are still affecting the ability of workers to seek the help or support they
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The Independent
25 minutes ago
- The Independent
The real reason fewer men may be choosing to become vets
If you take your dog, cat or fish to see a vet in the UK, the person who treats them is likely to be a woman. According to the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, 61 per cent of current UK vets are female. University admissions are even more skewed. Among vets who had recently qualified, nearly 80 per cent were female. This wasn't always the case. In the 1930s, when James Herriot – author of books including All Creatures Great and Small and for many the iconic British vet – was practising, almost all vets were male. The women's liberation movement of the 60s and 70s saw an influx of female vet students. You might expect a levelling of the playing field to lead to a profession now equally split between genders, but that isn't so. I teach veterinary clinical communication skills to veterinary students. My research relates to developing communication strategies that are effective across a wide range of cultures and social groups. However, vets are not very culturally diverse: as well as the majority being female, nearly all are heterosexual and white. This can limit their experience and understanding of different perspectives. As part of a wider piece of research into student experience of communication, I have reviewed the history of veterinary demographics, with some surprising results. Historically, vets worked mainly on farms with large animals, for which clients perceived physical strength to be crucial. Increasing pet ownership means most vets now work with small animals. This change in focus has altered society's perception of veterinary work from 'practical' to 'caring', and it has been suggested that this has discouraged boys from considering the profession. Veterinary salaries have also stagnated for some time, which may make the job less attractive to men. There is very little research to support any of these theories, but the most relevant and largest study available comes from the US in 2010. When applications to vet schools across the country from the 1960s to early 2000s were reviewed, one factor predicted student choice: the more female students there were, the less likely males were to apply. This is an understudied sociological phenomenon called 'male flight' or 'gender flight'. It seems that, in some professions at least, men lose interest once the number of women rises above 60 per cent. Another study of UK workplaces found the same thing when modelling various reasons for gender disparities. Men not choosing professions such as pharmacy and accountancy due to the increased female presence was the best explanation. These findings are concerning when connected with a UK study from 2018 called Drawing the Future. Thirteen thousand UK school children aged between seven and 11 were asked to draw pictures of their dream job. Researchers found that – perhaps unsurprisingly – dream jobs were strongly gendered, and that this happens from a young age. 'Vet' was third overall, a very popular job choice. But when you split that by gender, it was the second most popular job for girls, but only ninth for boys. This very much matches the gender balance of vet school applicants, so we can hypothesise that attitudes to being a vet are set early in life. Need for diversity Most diversity initiatives aim to reduce barriers for underrepresented groups. The veterinary profession isn't nearly as diverse as it could be – only around 4 per cent of vets come from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds, compared to 18 per cent of people in the UK population overall. Various reasons for this have been suggested, including a lack of representation and financial barriers. But we actually don't know why this is; applications to veterinary medicine by non-white students are lower than for other degrees. But in the case of gender, boys can become vets. They simply don't want to. There's value in diversity in general within the veterinary profession. Vets don't just work in clinics with pets: they also play a key public health role, preventing disease in animal populations and ensuring the health and welfare of farm animals. There are many animal charities that rely on vets to help support the human-animal bond, such as rescuing and rehoming animals, working with pets belonging to homeless people, or caring for the pets of people fleeing domestic violence. This means working with people from all over the UK, from all backgrounds. Many studies of stress in the veterinary profession identify difficulties with communication as a key problem. Indeed, communication is highlighted as a key skill for veterinary students by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and many studies of veterinary education. But there lies a challenge common to homogeneous professions. Learning to communicate effectively with others is more difficult when there is less diversity. This issue of gender flight has broader social implications. When men leave a profession due to increased numbers of women, wages tend to stagnate, which is a serious issue for students who frequently leave their five-year vet degrees with substantial debt. One place to start might be looking at how young children view vets – and what might make it a profession to choose as a result of personal ability and preference, rather than social pressure.
BBC News
25 minutes ago
- BBC News
Runner was 'getting life back' before fatal Stretham crash
An associate of the tech billionaire Mike Lynch had been "enjoying getting his life back" when he was fatally struck by a car while out on a run, an inquest Chamberlain died in hospital three days after a collision involving a Vauxhall car on the A1123 at Stretham in Cambridgeshire on 17 August 52-year-old had previously faced fraud charges in the US alongside Mr Lynch, who died after his superyacht Bayesian sank off the coast of Sicily on 19 August last a statement read by lawyer Sally Hobson, Mr Chamberlain's widow Karen said he had taken up running after the fraud charge, and it had "helped him mentally stay calm and focus on what was ahead". Mr Chamberlain and Mr Lynch were found not guilty of the charge in June last year following a trial at a federal court in San Francisco. Mrs Chamberlain said her husband would "meticulously spend hours planning his routes" and competed in ultra-distance was "safety conscious", she said, and he would wear one earbud but leave the other ear told the inquest at New Shire Hall, Alconbury Weald, that he had been home from the US for two months and was "making up for lost time, enjoying getting his life back". 'A matter of seconds' The inquest heard the collision happened as Mr Chamberlain was crossing a road between two parts of a bridleway and he was struck by the car as it crested a humpback a statement summarised by area coroner Caroline Jones, the driver involved said that as she "approached the bridge she proceeded down the incline" and a man "suddenly emerged into the road".She said she saw Mr Chamberlain "looking to his left away from her and only looked to his right just before the collision".She said she had "braked hard and steered to the nearside", but "he was too close" and the front offside of the vehicle collided with said she had been driving within the 60mph speed limit, had been on her way to a shop in Newmarket, Suffolk and had "no time pressure", the coroner said.A witness statement said Mr Chamberlain was thrown "approximately 15 feet" in the air and "the entire incident must have been a matter of seconds".The coroner said the female driver of the car should not be named at the hearing. Police forensic collision investigator PC Ian Masters said it was "not an ideal crossing point by any stretch of the imagination".Asked by the coroner if it was his view that it was not an avoidable collision, Mr Masters replied: "Yes, that's correct".The coroner concluded that Mr Chamberlain died as the result of a road traffic shared the concerns of the family that the humpback bridge was an "irredeemable barrier" to visibility for pedestrians and other road said she would write to Cambridgeshire County Council as the highways authority for further information before deciding whether a report to help prevent future deaths was Chamberlain's daughter Ella said in a statement to the inquest that her father was the "perfect role model in every way".His son Teddy said in a statement: "He was the glue of our family, always ready with an answer."The mental and physical strength he showed was beyond anything I could imagine."He added that he was the "greatest dad I could ever have asked for and I'm so proud to be his son". Follow Cambridgeshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Daily Mail
30 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Mike Lynch's co-defendant in US trial was hit and killed by a car when he took up running to stay calm after he was charged with fraud alongside the tech billionaire, inquest hears
The former colleague and co-defendant of tragic tech tycoon Mike Lynch was hit and killed by a car after he took up running to deal with the stress of the US fraud trial they were facing, an inquest heard today. Stephen Chamberlain, 52, was out on a run in August last year when he was struck by a vehicle as it crested a humpback bridge. He died in hospital three days later. The incident occurred just two days before Mr Lynch, 59, and his 18-year-old daughter Hannah were among seven people who lost their lives when his £30 million superyacht Bayesian sank suddenly off the coast of Sicily during a storm, sparking speculation about the closeness of the two deaths. During the inquest at Alconbury Weald, Cambridgeshire, today, Mr Chamberlain's father, Grenville, revealed his son had taken up ultramarathons to help deal with the mental and physical pressure he was under from the imminent US court battle. In a statement, he said: 'In order to keep himself fit for the charges ahead, Steve took up running and committed himself to becoming an ultra long-distance runner. 'He ran hundreds of miles, travelling to Snowdonia and the Lake District so he was able to negotiate areas he was not familiar [with], in order to run 200 miles in all weather conditions.' Mr Chamberlain and Mr Lynch had faced fraud and conspiracy charges over the allegedly inflated valuation that led to the £3.8 billion sale of tech firm Autonomy to US firm Hewlett-Packard in 2012. But both were acquitted of all 15 charges by a San Francisco jury in June last year, allowing them to return home to the UK. Area coroner Caroline Jones today ruled Mr Chamberlain's death was the result of a road traffic collision and said she would be writing to Cambridgeshire County Council about improve safety for pedestrians by the bridge, including signage and speed limits. 'On receipt of their responses, I will determine whether that adequately addresses my concerns or consider it's still necessary to issue a section 28 [Prevention of Future Deaths report],' she added. Ms Jones continued: 'My closing words have to be for Steve's family. I appreciate nothing can bring him back. 'I do hope you can take some small comfort from this part of the process concluding and in time reflect on all the good things…I am so very sorry for your loss.' Mr Chamberlain's wife, Karen - who wants the speed limit at the scene of the accident reduced from 60mph to 40mph - said afterwards that the humped bridge prevents drivers from seeing what is on the other side as they drive over it. 'Having a footpath where it is – at the bottom of the hill with that speed limit – it can happen to someone else,' she said. 'The pain we have gone through, I would not wish that on anyone else. It is hard – every day is painful.' Addressing the speculation about the proximity of two men's deaths, she added: 'It was incredibly hard. 'No one should have to go through that. It's difficult to process. Awful.' Mr Chamberlain's father pointed out they died 'days apart, thousands of miles apart'. Mr Chamberlain's son Teddy asked well-wishers to complete the run he died on as a tribute to his father A family statement revealed three people had benefited from Mr Chamberlain's organs that would 'hopefully change their lives for the better'. It added: 'Having fought successfully for his freedom, he returned from the US jubilant. 'He did so only to have his life cruelly taken from him.' Mr Chamberlain, Autonomy's vice president of finance alongside chief executive Mr Lynch, was around six miles into a run that began in Ely, Cambridgeshire, according to his Strava app, when he was fatally injured on August 17. He was at a spot between Stretham and Wicken when he was hit by the car as he crossed the road between two parts of a bridleway. He was rushed to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge with traumatic head injuries but his death was confirmed at 3.50am on August 20. The driver of the blue Vauxhall Corsa that hit Mr Chamberlain on the A1123, a 49-year-old woman from Haddenham, remained at the scene and assisted police with enquiries. Cambridgeshire Police today confirmed no further action would be taken against her. Summarising a statement from the driver, Ms Jones said that as she 'approached the bridge she proceeded down the incline' and a man 'suddenly emerged into the road'. She saw Mr Chamberlain 'looking to his left away from her and only looked to his right just before the collision'. Although she 'braked hard and steered to the nearside', he was 'too close' and the front offside of the vehicle collided with him. She said she had been driving within the 60mph speed limit and had been on her way to a shop in Newmarket, Suffolk with 'no time pressure'. Motorbike rider Grahame Cornwall, who witnessed the collision, said in a statement that Mr Chamberlain was thrown 'approximately 15 feet' up in the air. 'In his opinion the driver wouldn't have seen anything until she was on top of the rise (of the bridge) and wouldn't have had a chance to stop,' the coroner said. 'He said the entire incident must have been a matter of seconds.' Police forensic collision investigator Pc Ian Masters added it was 'not an ideal crossing point by any stretch of the imagination'. Asked by the coroner if it was his view that it was not an avoidable collision, Mr Masters replied: 'Yes, that's correct.' In the days following Mr Chamberlain's death, his family paid tribute to their 'much-loved husband, father, son, brother and friend'. They said in a statement: 'He was an amazing individual whose only goal in life was to help others in any way possible. 'He made a lasting impression on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him. He will be deeply missed but forever in the hearts of his loved ones.' The businessman's son, Teddy, also asked well-wishers to take part in the run his father never got to complete. In a public post on Strava, he wrote: 'We are planning to complete this run for dad, if any of you would like to pay tribute to him and run it with us I will keep you updated. 'I'm sure we will make a post about the day and time at a later date. He was such an incredible man and the pain we feel is unimaginable.' The family today confirmed 70 people had taken part in the event and Teddy was now becoming an ultra runner himself. After Autonomy, Mr Chamberlain, who was married to Karen, worked as chief operating officer for cybersecurity firm Darktrace and volunteered as a finance director for Cambridge United football club. Work is ongoing on the £30 million salvage operation to raise the Bayesian from 160ft underneath the waves. Photographs taken by a diver last week appeared to discount the claim by shipbuilders that the stern hatch had been left open, allowing water to surge in when a freak storm struck. The ship, famed for its 236ft mast, took just 16 minutes to sink in the early hours after being hit by 100mph winds while at anchor off the fishing village of Porticello. Earlier last month, an interim report by British investigators highlighted 'vulnerabilities' in the yacht's stability which meant its crew were unable to prevent the 184ft luxury sailing boat from tilting violently on its side. The captain and crew would have been unaware, as the information was not laid out in a safety booklet onboard, the Marine Accident Investigation Branch said. The vessel claimed an eighth life last month - a Dutch diver working on the salvage operation. The Bayesian was legally owned by Mr Lynch's wife, Angela Bacares, who survived the disaster. The other victims were banking executive Jonathan Bloomer, his wife Judy Bloomer, lawyer Chris Morvillo and his wife Neda Morvillo and the yacht's chef, Recaldo Thomas. Three crew members are currently facing possible charges of manslaughter and causing a disaster under an Italian criminal investigation. However Under Italian law the fact the men - captain James Cutfield, chief engineer Timothy Parker Eaton and deckhand Matthew Griffiths - have been placed under investigation does not imply guilt and does not necessarily mean that charges will be brought against them.
