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Economic impact of workplace stress in Portugal

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2026-10-12 13:26 UTC → 2026-10-14 01:09 UTC · added ~~removed~~

A report by the Ordem dos Psicólogos Portugueses (OPP) indicates that workplace stress and psychological health issues are costing Portuguese companies an estimated 13.3 billion euros annually in lost productivity. This figure represents a significant increase from 3.2 billion euros in 2020 and 5.3 billion euros in ~~2022.~~ 2022, having more than quadrupled in four years. The economic impact equates to approximately 36 million euros per day or 1.5 million euros per hour. These losses account for roughly 2.1% of the total turnover of Portuguese companies and represent 13.5% of total annual expenditure on salaries and social charges, a figure that reaches 16.5% for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Data shows that the average worker loses 13.5 days per year to absenteeism and up to 27 days to presenteeism, totaling up to 40.5 working days per employee annually. The OPP suggests that implementing psychological health promotion and early identification measures could reduce these losses by 30%, potentially saving nearly 4 billion euros per year. As burnout becomes more widespread, the four-day work week has emerged in discussions as a potential solution. While a private sector pilot program in 2023 yielded positive results for both employees and companies, the current national government has not continued the initiative. However, the regional government in the Azores is reportedly considering exploring the model.

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