Majority of SMEs lack a health and wellbeing strategy

Majority of SMEs lack a health and wellbeing strategy

by • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Majority of small businesses have no health and wellbeing strategyNew research from AXA PPP healthcare claims that eight out of ten (82 percent) SME business leaders don’t have a health and wellbeing strategy in place. The same research found two-thirds (24 percent) report experiencing job-related stress or anxiety and just 15 per cent believe their company provides a culture which supports their mental health. The research also claims  nearly half (46 percent) of employees working in small and medium sized businesses continue working when they’re feeling unwell and less than a quarter (24 percent) see a GP because they worry about taking time off work. One-fifth (18 percent) feel guilty for taking time away from their desk for lunch and more than a quarter (27 percent) send and receive emails outside of work hours.

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Fewer than one in five comfortable with mental health conversations

Fewer than one in five comfortable with mental health conversations

by • News, Wellbeing

Illustration of people's interior lives to depict mental health issuesAlthough around 1 in 7 people experience work-related mental health problems, a new survey claims that fewer than one in five people are confident about discussing mental health issues with colleagues. The survey of 1,000 people from insurance firm Protectivity claims that just 18 percent would be confident talking to their colleagues about their mental health. In addition, more than 1 in 10 people in the UK say they would feel embarrassed or ashamed of talking to their colleagues. The report concludes that not only is work needed to improve confidence but also the stigma of talking about mental health issues. (more…)

Wellbeing linked to two hours outdoors each week

Wellbeing linked to two hours outdoors each week

by • Features, Wellbeing

The idea that spending recreational time in natural settings is good for our health and wellbeing is hardly new. Parents have been telling their kids to “go play outside, it’s good for you” for generations. Now, colleagues and I have published a study in the journal Scientific Reports which suggests that a dose of nature of just two hours a week is associated with better health and psychological wellbeing, a figure that applies to every demographic we could think of (at least in England). (more…)

The greenest building is no building, our false craving for silence and some other stuff

The greenest building is no building, our false craving for silence and some other stuff

by • Features, Wellbeing, Workplace design

As climate scientists issue increasingly stark warnings about the global environmental catastrophe that is increasingly likely within a very short time frame, Will Jennings issues a timely reminder in the Architects Journal that the greenest type of building is no building at all. And that is doubly so when the building we are talking about is The Tulip, which would clearly be a very bad idea at any time. The author takes particular exception to the glossy environmental pledges made by high profile architects when contrasted with the ugly, vacuous grandstanding typified by The Tulip. (more…)

Help on returning to work after cancer

Help on returning to work after cancer

by • Comment, Wellbeing

Macmillan estimates that more than 125,000 people of working age are diagnosed with cancer in the UK every year, and the number of people surviving cancer will rise by approximately 1 million per decade and reach 4 million by 2040. With more people choosing to work longer, there are likely to be many cancer survivors choosing to return to work. Macmillan have also identified that over 80 percent of those who were working when diagnosed with cancer thought it important to continue working, but 47 percent had to give up work or change their roles as a result of their diagnosis. So helping people to return to work after cancer is an important issue for employers. (more…)

Working lives dominated by stress and overwork

Working lives dominated by stress and overwork

by • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Working lives are dominated by stressOver-work, stress and poor work-life balance are undermining attempts to improve the quality of working lives in the UK, new research from the CIPD claims. Over 5,000 people were surveyed for the UK Working Lives Survey, an annual assessment of job quality across seven different categories including pay and benefits, contracts and employment terms, and voice and representation. (more…)

Moving the wellbeing debate beyond a fixation on stress

Moving the wellbeing debate beyond a fixation on stress

by • Comment, Wellbeing

A man and woman discuss a work issue to illustrate importance of wellbeingThe world of work is evolving. Geopolitical change, digitalisation of the workplace and increased regulation are just some of the changes that businesses and their employees have to navigate. This disruption can feed into employee stress levels, impacting their happiness at work. Maintaining good mental health in the workplace is vital for employee wellbeing – it’s a key factor in employee retention and in turn, business success. However, it has been reported that between 2017 and 2018, 15.4 million working days were lost to work-related stress.

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Air, light and comfortable temperature enhance performance

Air, light and comfortable temperature enhance performance

by • Facilities management, News, Wellbeing, Workplace, Workplace design

Report shows effect of office air, light and room temperature on performanceWorker performance could increase by 20 percent if the fresh air supply in offices and meeting rooms is improved, finds a new report developed by Sharp and workplace psychologist Dr Nigel Oseland. Creating the perfect meeting environment claims to highlight the importance of creating the right conditions for meetings in order to boost productivity and reviews the role of indoor air quality, temperature and lighting on office worker performance and wellness in meetings. The report identifies temperature as a key environmental factor that has an impact on memory recall, attention span, and creativity, which all affect performance.

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Commuters receive little help from employers to alleviate their stress

Commuters receive little help from employers to alleviate their stress

by • Flexible working, News, Wellbeing, Workplace

Commuters receive little help from employers to alleviate their stressOver a third of respondents (36 percent) to a new survey report they are commuting for more than 90 minutes a day; yet despite a high demand for employer provisions to help alleviate the stress of the commute such as flexible or remote working and season ticket loans, 43 percent of employees stated that these were not currently offered by their employer. The Commuter Survey from Office Space in Town also claims that among the top commuting complaints were: lengthy journeys (32 percent); overcrowding (27 percent) and delays and frequent cancellations (26.01 percent). With the survey also revealing 75 percent take the commute into account when making their employment decisions, there is a lot that employers could be doing to minimise the negative impact on employee attraction and retention.

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Burnout recognised as a workplace phenomenon by WHO

Burnout recognised as a workplace phenomenon by WHO

by • News, Wellbeing

WHO recognises burnout as an occupational phenomenonAlthough still  not classified as a recognised medical condition, burnout has been included in the World Health Organization’s 11th Revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as an occupational phenomenon. It is described in the chapter: ‘Factors influencing health status or contact with health services’ – which includes reasons for which people contact health services but that are not classed as illnesses or health conditions. (more…)

Relationships with coworkers matter most for wellbeing

Relationships with coworkers matter most for wellbeing

by • News, Wellbeing

workplace wellnessA third of your life is spent at work, but what determines your workplace well-being? That’s the question that Dr. Martin Boult, Senior Director Professional Services & International Training, The Myers-Briggs Company, asked before starting a three-year international study on workplace wellbeing. His new report, titled “Wellbeing in the Workplace” from The Myers-Briggs Company explores the most effective activities for enhancing well-being and its benefits for both people and organisations. (more…)

Workplace happiness levels plummeting

Workplace happiness levels plummeting

by • News, Wellbeing, Workplace

According to a survey of employees, most people are unhappy and dissatisfied in our jobs and almost half struggle to get out of bed in the morning to go to work. The survey by Personal Group, a provider of human resources services, claims that there has been a 20 percent drop in workplace happiness over the past three years. Today, only 41 percent of the workforce are happy most of the time at work, down from 43 percent in 2018 and 51 percent in 2017. (more…)

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