The stressed staff statistics
Despite 67% of employees experiencing work-related stress or anxiety, 82% of businesses don’t have a health and wellbeing strategy in place.
The research carried out AXA PPP Healthcare revealed that only 15% believe their workplace culture is supportive of mental health needs. With a perceived lack of support staff are feeling under pressure to take their health less seriously, with only 24% saying they see a GP when they’re ill.
The rest are concerned about taking time off work, despite half of all respondents saying they would feel less stressed with something as simple as a health and wellbeing strategy being implemented.
How to support work/life balance for employees
As a business owner it’s common to become so close to the work being undertaken, that identifying developing problems for your staff is difficult. So, when considering the wellbeing risks for employees, be sure to include ‘work creep’ in the risk assessment. 27% of those surveyed said that they regularly send and receive emails outside of normal working hours. Ouch!
Flexibility around childcare, an employee’s right to attend appointments, and a holistic approach to absenteeism can all help. As CEO of AXA PPP Healthcare, Tracy Garrad, pointed out, the research findings highlight that health and wellbeing in the workplace are more than “nice to have”.
An important strategy for business protection
A health and wellbeing strategy put into place to protect employees, also protects the business. Long term staff absence can place a team and the business’ output under massive strain.
- 39% of employees surveyed believe the introduction of a wellbeing strategy would see an improvement in productivity, and it’s a factor in staff retention too.
- 35% feel it would boost their job satisfaction.
- 22% say it would make them more likely to remain in their job for longer.
Healthier, happier employees means not just reduced absenteeism, but reduced presenteeism. 46% of employees said they continue to work when they’re unwell. We all know that feeling under the weather makes it pretty tough to be as productive or efficient as usual!
Introducing a health and wellbeing strategy
If you’re not sure where to start with your strategy, the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) website has a host of health and wellbeing resources, including their Wellbeing and Work Performance page.
The Health and Safety Executive’s section on Employer Responsibilities and the Government’s Workplace Wellbeing Tool are also useful.
The good news is that 65% of those working for an organisation that does have a strategy believe it improves their health and wellbeing.
