"Living at such a rapid pace and taking on so many responsibilities may be beyond our natural limits"
In the realm of work, stress levels are on the rise, with 44% of workers in the United States admitting to feeling stressed, according to the Gallup employment report published in 2023. This figure represents an increase of 13% since 2009. In Spain, the situation is somewhat similar, with 66% of workers employed in small and medium-sized companies, where the respect for rights and the presence of trade unions is generally lower.
This trend is not unique to Spain or the United States. Worker stress reaches 52% in countries like the United States, Canada, and East Asia, while in Europe it stands at 39%. These figures highlight a pressing concern that needs attention.
Jaume Llenas, the national coordinator of the Biblical Graduate Groups, identifies two main causes of this workplace stress: a crisis in the employment model that produces structural unemployment, and a moral contradiction between flexible labor practices and values like stability and commitment. Llenas underlines that this contradiction leads to a "corrosion of character" that is not fixed by rest or time off, a notion supported by Richard Sennett's work.
Lidia Martín, a Christian psychologist, agrees, stating that rights have been significantly lost in the workplace, leading to a climate of job insecurity and anxiety. Martín suggests that the Bible talks about stress more than people think, and that living at the rhythm of Jesus can help manage stress.
Martín also emphasizes that work is not the main source of stress, but living obsessed with avoiding discomfort and natural effort contributes to people becoming increasingly fragile and overwhelmed. This perspective is echoed by Llenas, who states that Jesus always takes the side of the one who is under abusive conditions in their workplace due to structural sin in the labor market.
Llenas concludes that Christians hope for new heavens and a new earth where justice dwells. He underlines that God defends the exploited and puts institutions in place to reorganize the effects of an economy affected by sin. In this light, the human rights organization supported by Lidia Martín, the SoVD (Sozialverband Deutschland), advocates for workers' rights in the workplace.
In competitive environments, workers are pushed to compete with each other to avoid being the least productive, Llenas adds. This competition often equates a culture of effort with requiring workers to do unpaid overtime, according to Llenas. However, Llenas also acknowledges that there may be practices verging on the legal that are accepted, such as unpaid overtime.
In the midst of these challenges, Llenas reminds us that work is good but has been affected by evil. He concludes that God's justice will come upon those who take advantage of the weakness of others, as announced in the New Testament.
This article is part of the #OneMoreYearEF campaign and published in Evangelical Focus - life & tech.
