FEATURE
were more likely to have poor lifestyle habits including smoking, insomnia, poor diets and infrequent exercise - compared with only 34% of those experiencing low stress.
Excess stress, particularly if this continues over a prolonged period, can lead to both more frequent minor ailments and serious conditions including obesity, heart disease, stroke and mental illness.
GBAS insights showed generational disparities and gender differences in relation to the levels of stress experienced, with millennials and women more likely to suffer.
Of the millennials surveyed, 61% stated that they experienced heightened stress compared to half of generation X employees and just over a third (33%) of baby boomers. Nearly two thirds of women (58%) told us that they experienced high stress compared to 48% of men.
“The study found a link between
unhealthy levels of stress and low levels of productivity.”
The GBAS study identified that highly stressed workers were not only taking two and a half times more sick days off than those experiencing low stress, but that 40% were also disengaged at work – more than double the figure amongst less affected workers (17%).
The link between unhealthy levels of stress and low levels of productivity was proved.
Just under half (45%) of UK workers agreed that stressful periods reduced the quality of their work while highly engaged workers were more likely to have a positive reaction to stress. More than half (51%) said that stress motivated them at work compared to 20% of disengaged colleagues.
Actively mitigating stress Mitigating the risks of stress requires a proactive focus on protecting and enhancing health and wellbeing in the workplace.
The research findings revealed that nearly half (49%) of workers believed that their employer should take a proactive approach to encourage healthy lifestyles at work and that 22% were prepared to pay for tools to promote this.
Only half (51%) of employers however, are currently taking proactive steps to reduce workplace stress presenting opportunities for businesses to bring health and wellbeing to the forefront of their organisations’ agenda.
Building health and wellbeing cultures is a primary focus for 62% of employers over the next three years as businesses recognise the value that achieving this brings.
Incentivising employees is also a growing expectation, with 34% believing that their employer should offer financial rewards to promote healthy living compared to 26% of workers in 2013.
Technology to empower employees The role that technology can play in modern work environments should not be underestimated. Alongside delivering smarter buildings, technology can play a pivotal role in enhancing workplace wellbeing with one in two workers currently using wearables to manage and enhance their health.
The GBAS study found that 35% of employees used wearables to monitor personal fitness levels and sleep patterns, 26% for diet, and 17% to manage health conditions such as diabetes.
“In 2017, only 16% of employers offered their workforce access
to apps or new technologies to encourage healthy lifestyles.”
In 2017, only 16% of employers offered their workforce access to apps or new technologies to encourage healthy lifestyles. A further 12% told us that they planned to include this in their wellbeing programmes in 2018 and another 22% of businesses in 2019.
The tangible value of creating positive health and wellbeing cultures is evident and the business benefits are increasingly recognised.
The challenge for businesses is in truly understanding their unique workforce, identifying the specific needs of their employee population and devising wellbeing programmes that not only satisfy current employee needs, but deliver tailored strategies offering the flexibility to evolve as employees’ needs change.
www.willistowerswatson.com/en 08 Tomorrow’s FM Yearbook 2019/20
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