February 13, 2019
Stark levels of stress among small business owners as they struggle to stay solvent
Chronic work-related stress has risen sharply among small business owners, with a fifth of small business owners look to taking a job elsewhere to stay afloat this year. This is according to new research from AXA, which reveals that many are adopting short-term planning and cutting reliance on external funding ahead of Brexit. Staying agile and light is a common strategy, but may not give businesses the best chance of survival if financial cushions are not in place too. The study finds a sharp increase in financial anxiety amongst business owners. Over the course of 2018, those reporting they felt chronically stressed about their businesses increased by almost 50 percent, reaching 29 percent by year end. (more…)
Almost half (49 percent) of UK employees admit they speak to colleagues about health concerns before sharing it with a partner or loved one, claims new research by Bupa Health Clinics. Stress, sleep, anxiety and weight problems are among the main concerns being discussed by employees at work, before confiding in those closest to home. The new report found that 46 percent of employees prefer to talk about health with a colleague over a loved one. Many do so with good intentions with more than a third finding it easier to talk to a colleague as they are less likely to worry.
Business leaders have called today for the Government to update health and safety legislation to protect mental health in the workplace. In an 
Figures from Macmillan show that almost 900,000 people of working age (16-64) are living with cancer – a figure expected to rise to over a million by 2030, while the HSE disclosed 600,000 workers needed time off in the past year due to suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety. Men are notoriously bad at checking their health but according to Bupa an increasing spotlight on issues such as prostate cancer and testicular cancer earlier this year led to an increase in male health assessment bookings. In March 2018, Bupa saw a 28 percent uplift in male health assessment bookings compared to the same time last year, and a 43 percent year-on-year increase in April 2018. But according to the healthcare provider, employers must more efforts to help create a culture where male workers can open up about mental or physical problems.
January 4, 2019
Why new technology can still make employees happier, healthier and more efficient
by Elaine Rossall • AI, Comment, Flexible working, Lighting, Technology, Wellbeing
For many years, we became used to new technology being treated with excitement. Essentially, people thought technology made their lives better. More recently this consensus has been tested. On a very practical level, there is growing concern about the impact of everyday technology. ‘Screen-time’ has become a byword for anxiety and disengagement from the real world. Meanwhile, there is trepidation about the impact of future technology, such as the automation of jobs. Whilst caution is needed, there is a danger that we are forgetting the many benefits technology can bring. As an example, look to the workplace. Already, offices are gaining hugely from technology that benefits employee wellness and productivity. However, we have only just begun to feel its impact. A ‘fast’ office may sound like an oxymoron. A building isn’t going to win a 100-metre race. Yet fast offices, which allow employees to control their immediate environment, are becoming increasingly common.
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