A recent survey of British employees by healthcare provider Simplyhealth shows that one in two UK staff say their mental and physical wellbeing was ignored by their employer during the economic downturn. Now that the market is beginning to recover, over 45 percent say they will start looking for a new job.
However, this may come as a surprise to most employers. Simplyhealth's Bothered Britain survey found that while 52 percent of employers agree that they have been too worried about surviving the recession to be concerned about employee wellbeing, 75 percent of those surveyed did not expect their workforce to be looking for employment elsewhere.
"The recession has been a difficult time for employers and employees alike and may well have led to increased incidents of workplace stress. Even short periods of stress can have effects on your wellbeing, with many associated health problems. Employees who feel valued and looked after are far more likely to stay in their jobs and to work harder, leading to a healthier, happier workplace," said Dr Christian Jessen.
As the market recovers, employers need to begin focusing on employee wellbeing or risk losing their employees. Almost half (47%) of the employers surveyed said that the threat of job losses has led to stress for their staff, and a third (33%) agree that the development of a 'work all hours' culture has had a further impact of the health of the nation's workforce.
"Businesses have understandably been under a considerable strain over the past months, but it is clear from our research that employee wellbeing needs to be high on the agenda for employers, especially now that we are out of a recession,” said Jamie Wilson, spokesperson for Simplyhealth.
“Employers can show that they are bothered about their staff in a variety of ways, including making efforts to ensure regular communication, providing benefits, such as healthcare and trying to ensure a positive, enjoyable atmosphere in the workplace. Small steps such as these can have a big impact on an employee's overall health and wellbeing, and help to ensure key talent is retained,” Wilson added.
For more information please visit: www.simplyhealth.co.uk www.simplyhealth.co.uk
However, this may come as a surprise to most employers. Simplyhealth's Bothered Britain survey found that while 52 percent of employers agree that they have been too worried about surviving the recession to be concerned about employee wellbeing, 75 percent of those surveyed did not expect their workforce to be looking for employment elsewhere.
"The recession has been a difficult time for employers and employees alike and may well have led to increased incidents of workplace stress. Even short periods of stress can have effects on your wellbeing, with many associated health problems. Employees who feel valued and looked after are far more likely to stay in their jobs and to work harder, leading to a healthier, happier workplace," said Dr Christian Jessen.
As the market recovers, employers need to begin focusing on employee wellbeing or risk losing their employees. Almost half (47%) of the employers surveyed said that the threat of job losses has led to stress for their staff, and a third (33%) agree that the development of a 'work all hours' culture has had a further impact of the health of the nation's workforce.
"Businesses have understandably been under a considerable strain over the past months, but it is clear from our research that employee wellbeing needs to be high on the agenda for employers, especially now that we are out of a recession,” said Jamie Wilson, spokesperson for Simplyhealth.
“Employers can show that they are bothered about their staff in a variety of ways, including making efforts to ensure regular communication, providing benefits, such as healthcare and trying to ensure a positive, enjoyable atmosphere in the workplace. Small steps such as these can have a big impact on an employee's overall health and wellbeing, and help to ensure key talent is retained,” Wilson added.
For more information please visit: www.simplyhealth.co.uk www.simplyhealth.co.uk
