STRESS AT WORK - A COMPARATIVE SURVEY

I've over the last 16 years had more than a passing Interest in issues related to stress at work (shameless plug for my 9-5 pre-occupation) and have heard a few horror stories I must tell you, but before we whinge about not having adequate Feng Shui in our wind-ward facing Office environment, spare a thought for these poor fellows:

1.German Soldiers were often summarily shot for marching out of line to promote discipline in the ranks especially in the run up to the Stalingrad campaign.

2. Soviet Soldiers did not receive Medals for fighting their way back gallantly from a retreating position, they were either shot or sent to Siberia ("there is no land behind the Volga").

3. Tommies during the First World War had to endure conditions in the trenches involving sleeping in (and often being buried alive in) mud for several weeks (not the Glastonbury variety), covered in Lice, harrassed by Rats, Frogs and plagued by Trenchfoot/Trench Fever and Shell shock (then described as cowardice and punishable by summary execution). I'll also mention the smell of rotting corpses, overflowing latrines, chlorine, cordite and unwashed bodies. Of course you were still expected to fight and defeat the Hun.

4. Women in many third world countries wake up well before dawn and mostly with babies on their backs walk for several miles to draw water from (often contaminated) wells, rivers and other water sources or to hew wood, walk back with their heavy load, make breakfast for the family then on to the farm under the blazing hot sun, where they work till dusk (often for 10 hours with few breaks), almost everyday, interspersed with journies to the markets to sell their produce.

5. Child labourers in Asia and Africa, often work in cramped, unsanitary conditions for upwards of 10 hours with few if any breaks for the equivalent of £1.00 a day (if they're lucky). Most times in the employment of Multi-nationals with fancy Headquarters in major European/American cities, where they proudly espouse their excellent Personnel policy and compliance with the highest Health and safety standards ( not otherwise applicable to their Third World sweatshops). Heartwarming indeed.