Those who work in healthcare in the UK rate their wellbeing poorly, as on average those who work in the legal services nearly double their wellbeing level.
This is according to The Workplace Happiness Survey, by Engaging Works, a company that believes the potential of happier employees can transform businesses. Therefore, they have developed a set of tools for companies and individuals to use.
Healthcare workers scored a wellbeing score of 4.55 out of 10, where as legal services employees rated their wellbeing as 7.41.
The top 10 industries for wellbeing at work include:
- Legal Services
- Business and Management Services
- Marketing and Advertising
- Real Estate, Rental and Leasing
- Technology
- Non-profit Organisation
- Automotive and engineering
- Entertainment and Media
The Workplace Happiness Survey gives individuals who take part in it a score based on six key areas, one being wellbeing. If a participant scores badly on Wellbeing they are given the chance to take the NHS wellbeing test.
Lord Mark Price, founder of Engaging Works and former minister of state for trade and investment said:
Employees must recognise the importance of wellbeing at work. It is vital employers help employees feel less anxious at work and create a positive working environment. Undoubtedly the healthcare industry is highly stressed and comes with unsociable hours but there is much that can be done to help employees feel better at work. One step is to engage with employees and our Workplace Happiness Survey does just that.
With today (25th July) being expected to reach 37 degrees or higher the TUC have called on companies to implement suitable changes to working conditions so employees’ productivity and wellbeing do not drop substantially.
Tom Long, a partner in the employment team at Shakespeare Martineau, said:
Currently, the law does not specify a range of safe working temperatures, although guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) suggests 16 degrees centigrade as a reasonable minimum temperature, with no maximum. It would be difficult to impose a maximum temperature as clearly, this is likely to be reached much more quickly in some workplaces than others, such as in a bakery or a foundry.
Whilst employers have no legal obligation to ensure certain working temperatures, they do owe a duty of care to their employees to ensure that the environment that they work in is safe.
Over 7,500 people in the UK have taken the free Workplace Happiness Survey.
Interested in wellbeing in the workplace We recommend the Workplace Wellbeing and Stress Forum 2019.
Darius is the editor of HRreview. He has previously worked as a finance reporter for the Daily Express. He studied his journalism masters at Press Association Training and graduated from the University of York with a degree in History.
