HRreview 20 Years
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Subscribe for weekday HR news, opinion and advice.
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Optin_date
This field is hidden when viewing the form

UK employees would enjoy better mental health if they were unemployed

-

UK employees would enjoy better mental health if they were unemployed

More than a quarter of UK employees would have better mental health if they were unemployed.

This is according to Tap Warehouse’s report ‘Stressed Out Britain’. Tap Warehouse is a supplier of bathrooms, kitchen taps and bathroom accessories, who found that 27 per cent of UK employees would be healthier mentally if they did not have a job.

The report also found that adults have a higher chance of suffering from chronic stress if they are in poor-quality work compared to those who are unemployed.

HRreview Logo

Get our essential weekday HR news and updates.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Keep up with the latest in HR...
This field is hidden when viewing the form
This field is hidden when viewing the form
Optin_date
This field is hidden when viewing the form

 

In 2018, anxiety, stress or depression accounted for 59 per cent of working days lost which is equivalent to 12.8 million days.

This equates to an average of 21.2 days lost per person due to stress, anxiety or depression.

Tap Warehouse has compiled a list of how to deal with the effects of stress as 25 per cent of the UK population suffer from mental health problems each year:

  • Communicating with your work colleagues to release dopamine in your brain
  • Step outside and get some fresh air on your lunch break
  • Keep on top of your desk, and declutter as you go
  • Chew gum before an important meeting to promote blood flow to your brain
  • Keep on top of your posture.

 

In light of International Stress Awareness Week (4th – 8th November) Sumo Sleep, a company that specialises in weighted blankets suggested that introducing workplace naps could ease stress and anxiety. They added that being stressed can also lead to damages to your personal health and to take time off work.

Giles Watkins, author of the book Positive Sleep said:

Naps are a powerful way to upgrade your night’s sleep and have proven benefits to your health and your thinking. Short naps have been shown to reduce your stress and enhance your immune system, as well as reducing both blood pressure and the incidence of heart attacks. Supporters of naps range from Winston Churchill to NASA! So, for a business that wants its employees to be more alert with improved focus on results, to be more accurate and solve problems better, I strongly recommend that naps can form part of the answer!

This research was collated from Manchester University and the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

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.

Latest news

Felicia Williams: Why ‘shadow work’ is quietly breaking your people strategy

Employees are losing seven hours a week to tasks that fall outside their core job description. For HR leaders, that’s the kind of stat that keeps you up at night.

Redundancies rise as 327,000 job losses forecast for 2026

UK job losses are set to rise again as redundancy warnings hit post-pandemic highs, with employers cutting roles amid rising costs and economic pressure.

Rise of ‘sickfluencers’ and AI advice sparks concern over attitudes to work

Online influencers and AI tools are shaping how people approach illness and employment, heaping pressure on employers.

‘Silent killer’ dust linked to 500 construction deaths a year as 600,000 workers face exposure

Hundreds of UK construction workers die each year from silica dust exposure as a new campaign calls for stronger workplace protections.
- Advertisement -

Leaders ‘overestimate’ how much workers use AI

Firms may be misreading workforce readiness for artificial intelligence, as frontline staff report far lower day-to-day adoption than executives expect.

Cost-of-living pressures ‘keep unhappy workers in their jobs’

Many say economic pressures are forcing them to remain in jobs they would otherwise leave, as pay and financial stability dominate career decisions.

Must read

Jilaine Parkes: 4 Leadership development blind-spots and how performance management can help

Whether leaders manage people or process, lead a vision...

The benefits of an agile working environment

The world of work is changing and, with it, the need for a more agile approach is growing. Just as there are opportunities associated with this fresh approach to work, there are also a fair number of challenges to consider.
- Advertisement -

You might also likeRELATED
Recommended to you