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Workplace stress linked to suicide

The issue of stress in the workplace is under scrutiny after the Christchurch coroner found that it contributed to the death of a bank worker.

Michael Smith, 40, died in March 2000 but the results of an inquest have only just been released.

Christchurch coroner Richard McElrea said that Smith killed himself after failing to meet performance targets set by his employer the ANZ bank.

And while McElrea says that ANZ could not have foreseen Smith's death and was not responsible for it, he recommended that it look at how it could have handled the case differently.

As manager of investments and lending, Smith became depressed as he failed to meet high sales targets.

Paul Duff, who had the same job at ANZ, claims the demands pushed him too into despair.

"It's just a feeling of utter hopelessness, complete failure," he says.

As Michael Smith battled depression and sales targets, ANZ gave him extended paid sick leave.

The coroner's report criticises the bank's action on his return, saying it did not adjust his yearly sales target, and in fact told him he may lose his job if he did not meet them.

Don Farr of banking workers' union Finsec says workers are often under increasing pressure.

"I know there are occasions in banks where they increase targets and increase targets because there are no boundaries... push targets until someone collapses under the strain," he says.

Steve Fisher of ANZ says that in the past year ANZ has taken steps to address the issue, including a "balanced score sheet" where employees are no longer assessed purely on sales figures.

"Other factors are of equal importance, they include customer service and personal leadership skills," he says.

In the year 2000 there were 22 cases in the employment court involving work stress. Union officials say banks have a problem.

"If we have a meeting of members of ANZ staff all they want to talk about is work stress and stupid targets," Farr says.

Finsec says banks need to recognise their responsibilities to be humane employers and think not just of profit but of people.

Story filed: May 10, 2002