According to CIPD research, a quarter of workers think their job negatively impacts their health.
The Good Work Index of the HR body found that despite an improvement in the quality of work over the past eight years, the impact of the job on the wellbeing continues to be negative.
Around 8.5 million UK workers, or a quarter, report excessive workloads, stress, and pressure, as well as poor relationships with co-workers and ineffective management.
Employees who claim that their work negatively affects their mental well-being are less satisfied with their job (37%, compared to 93% of those who believe their work positively impacts their mental wellbeing).
The majority of them are more likely to quit their jobs in the next year (34% vs. 14%) and less likely to make discretionary efforts for their employers (39% vs. 69%).
The CIPD reported that just under half of working adults (46%) have had a physical condition in the past 12 months. 42% have also experienced a mental condition.
According to the Office for National Statistics’ latest data, the most common physical illness reported by respondents was musculoskeletal problems.
Anxiety (27%) and sleep problems (27%) followed, as did depression (15%).
The Good Work Index measures seven aspects of quality in the workplace: employee voice and engagement, workplace relationships, pay and benefits, contract and job security and design.
The government’s Keep Britain Working report is looking at how employers, workplace health professionals and employers can prevent health problems occurring on the job and what employers can do to support good health.
Peter Cheese, CIPD’s chief executive, called employers to “look past the symptoms of unhealthy working conditions to their root causes”.
Prioritising employee wellbeing is a good business decision. He said that it was not only good for the individual, but also helped boost employee retention and performance, as well as reduce health-related inactivity on the job market.
“Tackling the work-related stresses, which is one of the leading causes of sick leave and has been linked to rising levels of inactivity and economic stagnation, should be a top priority for employers and policymakers.”
The government wants to focus more on the health of workers. This will require that more organizations equip their managers with the skills and time they need to properly manage people and keep them in the workplace.
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