The Best You’s Wellness in the Workplace Survey 2013
With the world's economy in the doldrums, businesses and the people who work in them are feeling the pinch and suffering more and more from stress. The Best You's Wellbeing In The Workplace Survey finds out the attitudes of those at the sharp end.
T
he effects of stress at work are very real - and it's not just a matter of "taking a sickie" for the afternoon. In the US last year, it was estimated that stress cost the economy $300
billion a year. Meanwhile, in the UK,13.4 million days
were lost to stress anxiety or depression, with 265,000 new cases of stress reported in the workplace. It's a major problem - for the individual
concerned and for businesses too. Real expertise can be lost from the workplace due to stress, while more stress is created as other members of the team fi ll in for the
employee taking time off. That's why the great manager at any size of business will not only concentrate on the bottom line, but also ensure they are doing the very best for their workforce. The Best You's Wellbeing in the Workplace
polled attitudes in the workplace - fi nding out what workers want and need to bet beyond stress to wellbeing. People were polled across the UK from all
regions and sectors, with a representative spread across the demographic. It was interesting to note that the percentages of men to women who answered were about even, with roughly the same levels
of concerns and ideas for solutions being shown by both sexes. There was a noted difference in attitudes
by age. Those below 24 had a higher level of happiness at work, as did those above 55. Interestingly, these same two groups also reported higher levels of stress at work. This perhaps shows that some stress
is not necessarily a bad thing. It helps you to focus the mind and get a sense of achievement when completing a task. But too much stress is a real issue, and
fi nding ways to support employees really allows a business to fl ourish. Continue on page 18