An eye-opening new study suggests that traffic caused by road repairs is costing the economy $3 billion per year, and is leading to rampant stress, absenteeism and even resignations in Montreal.

Almost 30 per cent of human relations professionals interviewed in a new survey conducted for the Association of Certified Human Resources Professionals (CRHA) said that prospective employees had turned down work because it was located in Montreal.

One in four respondents said that employees had actually quit jobs due to delays caused by road repairs.

Overall, 70 per cent of businesses interviewed said that the road repairs have had a significant impact on employee management, up from 55 per cent when the question was last asked three years back.

The survey indicated that 76 per cent of respondents reported that road repairs have had a psychological impact on workers, more specifically, 89 per cent said that it caused the employees stress, 72 per cent irritability and 58 per cent fatigue.

 

Employees whose work entails more driving, such as truck drivers, and bus drivers, reported the highest levels of strain.

Half of the respondents said that the employees endured an average 15-minute delays each day due to road repairs while 60 percent of those companies said that absenteeism rose with the road repairs.

 

The CRHA is urging that provincial and municipal officials coordinate their work. They also recommend that public transit be increased.

Pollsters interviewed 1,129 management professionals in the online poll conducted between August 18 and 25.