It is interesting how the research conducted by the University of Melbourne and VicHealth quantifies the cost of stressed out staff to their employers and the wider economy. I hope, in this case, employers finally realize that they should not push their staff too hard at work. Improving the quality of life at workplace can actually reduce the risk of staff developing depression from job strain, which could be very costly for the employers. Even if employers do not care about the health of their staff, they surely care about their profits!
The article in the Australian is an effective piece of hard news. Its content is relevant to a very broad reader base and is well supported by findings from the research and quotes from the researchers. It is a very precise story but sends out its message well. The short length is also appealing for busy employers and staff who currently 'work till they drop', as I would assume that they do not have much time to read the papers. However, if elaborations are allowed, it would be a much more insightful story if the writer had included the voices of employers and employees (e.g. work unions). Hearing opposing opinions from the employers and employees will be interesting. The implied conflict between the two parties increase the news value of the article.
Here is a video clip which explains the details of the research:
An article on news.com.au also discussed the same research findings but with an additional piece of information - about 1.5 millions of Australians were diagnosed with depression associated with job stress (source 1). I think this alarming statistics can give readers an idea of the significance of the health and economic burden resulting from excessive work stress.
Source:
1) News.com.au article, http://www.news.com.au/business/breaking-news/job-stress-costs-the-australian-economy-730-million/story-e6frfkur-1225934702945
