CABA, a UK charity which supports the wellbeing of chartered accountants, has found that the phrase ‘workplace wellbeing’ is searched around 500 times a month by British people.
This level of Googling suggests we still don’t fully understand what workplace wellbeing entails and how it impacts productivity and success at work.
Research by the charity revealed that 74 percent of employees find it difficult to concentrate sometimes because of poor wellbeing. Two thirds of respondents thought they were less productive for the same reason.
Stress is also a concern in the workplace, with 36 percent of respondents admitting they think about quitting their role on a regular basis because they are stretched to thinly.
A considerable number of respondents, 13 percent, said they feel stressed at least once a day and, concerningly, the same percentage have resorted to having a sick day to cope with stress.
Nearly a third, 31 percent, said they did not like going to work and the top complaints of their job included not being paid enough and a lack of development in their role.
What impacts workplace wellbeing?
CABA’s survey shows what factors UK employees say impact their wellbeing at work.
For 25 percent of employees the quality and quantity of financial rewards has a major impact on their wellbeing.
The number of working hours was also a major influencer, with 22 percent of respondents saying this affected their wellbeing.
While it is not always consider by prospective employees, company culture has a huge impact on workplace wellbeing, with 15 percent of employees flagging this as a deal-breaker.
Other factors included good managers and personal development, with ten percent and six percent respectively saying these were so important to the way they felt about their job and business.
Employees miss a huge 26 social occasions or events a year, like exercise classes, dates, gatherings with friends, and even weddings or birthday celebrations because of work pressures and expectations.
Missing an event occasionally cannot be avoided, but feeling forced to cancel plans a few times a month could lead employees to start resenting their job.
Tackling the problem
Laura Little, learning and development manager at CABA, said: “Our research identified that struggling with poor wellbeing is not a small issue – it’s having a hugely negative impact on a large number of employees, both at work and home.”
“It’s imperative that we start taking people’s wellbeing seriously, otherwise it will be the business that pays the price. Having a strategy for employee wellbeing is no longer an optional extra – people not only need it more than ever before but they also expect it.”
Nearly half of survey respondents, 42 percent, said that poor wellbeing has resulted in them taking more sick days.
Further to this, 58 percent of employees have had worse mental health and 54 percent have had more disagreements with their colleagues.
Wellbeing at work is not only a consideration for employees. Research from the Resolution Foundation has revealed that pay growth has risen to ten percent for job movers while those who stay in posts only receive a 2.5 percent pay rise. Employers need to make sure they’re doing everything they can to attract and retain the best talent.
CABA also found out what respondents would like introduced to improve their workplace wellbeing.
Free, healthy snacks and breakfast food was the most desired, with 39 percent choosing this as something they would like their workplace to provide.
A quarter of employees would like free exercise classes and a further 25 percent would benefit from free mobility classes.
Relaxation was also on the mind, with 25 percent of respondents suggesting that regular access to massages would really improve their workplace wellbeing.
Little concluded: “Asking employees to provide feedback about what their company could do better not only makes them feel valued but could also provide important insight into how to get the best out of team members.
“Simple steps such as encouraging exercise can help to boost productivity and increase mental focus, making for a happier workforce. Investing in improving people’s wellbeing at work will be a welcome effort, likely to be rewarding for employees and employers alike.”