The ultimate cure for job stress: retirement

Stressful work environments and staffing shortages are among the primary reasons federal employees who are eligible to retire choose to do so, according to a recent study by the Merit Systems Protection Board. General Accounting Office officials and congressional leaders have raised concerns about a pending "brain drain" in the federal workplace caused by retirements over the next few years. According to GAO, an estimated 1.8 percent of federal employees will retire each year from 1999 to 2006, up from 1.3 percent per year from 1991 to 1998. But employees eligible to retire are waiting longer and longer to actually leave government service. In the 2000 Merit Principles Survey, MSPB identified the top 10 reasons why federal employees retire, including non-work interests, excessive job stress, a desire to work on their own, a lack of recognition, family reasons and problems with supervisors. MSPB found that most of the employees who complained of excessive job stress also made comments about a lack of staff to get the job done. In fact, MSPB concluded that retirements would further decrease staffing levels and increase the level of stress for employees who remain in the federal workforce. Managers and other federal officials should use the information discovered in the study and find ways to motivate and retain employees ready to retire, MSPB said.

Percentage of respondents who said the reason was important or very important in their decision to retire: