Employers urged to focus on well-being of staff

According to the 2013 Wellness at Work Survey, the UK workforce is under pressure and is not being given sufficient support by their employers.

The survey conducted by OnePoll for The Best You magazine questioned workers from across the UK about mental health and well-being at work, and discovered that only 29% of employees polled felt “mostly happy” in the workplace.

It also found that a lack of motivation and feelings of stress are both key factors for unhappiness at work, with 50% of respondents saying that they feel stressed by the pressures of their job and lack of well-being support from their employers.

Eleven per-cent of workers felt that their employers offered enough support, while 67% claimed that their employers did not pay enough attention to workforce mental health and well-being.

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The survey also warns that employers need to recognise the importance of mental stress in the workplace just as much as physical well-being because it is costing businesses billions of pounds each year.

Bernardo Moya, CEO, The Best You, said:

“In general, the age group of 55 + are the ones who are lacking the most support from their employer. This could be down to a few reasons, such as they are of a generation who isn’t comfortable with the modern world and may feel like they are being left behind.”

He added:

“Some employers aren’t doing enough and there is a lack of good relationships between employer and employee.”