Employees want their organisations to be more proactive in supporting their wellbeing as heavy workloads impact their mental and physical health, finds a new report.
Employees are increasingly demanding greater physical and wellbeing support from their employers, according to the “Healthier Nation Index” report from Nuffield Health. The study revealed that staff had clear views on what measures employers could take to improve their workplace wellbeing (52%).
In the index, 21% of employee respondents said they wanted employers to undertake mandatory reporting on their firm’s physical and wellbeing initiatives to improve the physical and emotional wellbeing of their staff.
A further 37% of employees said employers should “take responsibility by making resources available on how to boost mental and physical wellbeing” while nearly half (46%) of respondents agreed that free health checks for all staff should be provided by employers.
These recommendations from respondents followed widely held sentiments that their work lives were negatively impacting their mental health (54%) while half of all respondents (50%) stated that their workload created a “barrier to undertaking physical exercise.”
Darren Hockley, Managing Director at e-learning company DeltaNet International responded to the study’s results: “Improving both mental and physical health is rising up the corporate agenda. So, it’s no surprise that around a third of employees want employers to take responsibility and make resources available to boost mental and physical wellbeing. This is what matters. If employees feel overworked or stressed, then they won’t be as happy or productive. This will only lead to other issues for the company, such as sick leave or them resigning and moving to another organisation that prioritises wellbeing.
“Mandatory reporting on physical and wellbeing initiatives is a great way for organisations to take more responsibility for their employees. Offering that support through wellbeing seminars, mental health and wellbeing training, or even mental health support where staff can talk to a specialist can make a significant difference to employees. Let’s prioritise making all employees healthier and happier, both mentally and physically.”
