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2009

2008

Meltdown Takes Its Toll On Bankers

Sydney Morning Herald

Saturday October 18, 2008

Paul Bibby and Danny John

HUNDREDS have lost their homes, thousands have watched their investments crumble, and a generation will be affected by superannuation losses - but spare a thought for the bankers.

The global crisis is taking an emotional toll on Australia's financial workers, with a number of institutions seeking counselling for their staff. The workplace injury service Workcare has been contacted by a financial institution about counselling for employees experiencing stress.

The service said it could not name the institution for privacy reasons, but the Herald understands it is in Sydney and has been hit hard by the meltdown.

Workcare's chief operational officer, Kevin Zammit, said his staff were developing a program to help workers deal with stress.

"We're beginning to see an increase in the instances of stress-related trauma and injury claims," as a result of the crisis," he said.

Insiders at Macquarie Bank's Sydney headquarters said a session run by the national depression service Beyond Blue last week was very well attended.

"People who haven't seen something like this before could experience it in a personal way, seizing on it as a failure in their career," Beyond Blue's clinical adviser, Michael Baigent, said.

James Bone - Page 47

© 2008 Sydney Morning Herald

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