Interesting item on the BBC web site about the effects of poor management skills on employees. A study published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine looked at 3000 males and found some startling facts.

Poor management increases stress levels but there is also a clear increase in the risk of serious heart problems. What's more, the longer it goes on, the worse the risk.

Employees who feel undervalued and unsupported at work tend to get stressed, which in turn means they tend to turn to unhealthy activities such as smoking or drinking - these in turn can lead to heart disease. Previous studies have shown poor management causes high blood pressure too.

Staff with the worst senior managers had a 25% higher risk of a serious heart problem and if this persisted for four years or more - this went up to a 64% higher risk.

I imagine the economic downturn is exacerbating this sort of problem.

The solution? Well - fewer crap managers! Employees should be given "clear work objectives and sufficient power in relation to their responsibilities".

Maybe companies should actively encourage and help their staff to give up smoking and not get plastered at every company do?

More from the BBC.