British employees work an average of 469 unpaid hours a year according to a new survey by OnePoll on behalf of TotallyMoney. A long-hour working culture can be damaging to businesses as unrested employees will be unproductive, tired, worn out, stressed and more likely to make mistakes.
The 2018 Modern Family Index found that more than a third of parents felt resentful about their employer’s approach to work-life balance. Therefore, it is vital to tackle the long-hours working culture for a healthy, happy and productive workforce.
Higher employee turnover
Overworked, unhappy and unsupported employees are more likely to leave than stay within a company where they aren’t appreciated and are not being paid for any overtime. Unpaid work not only costs employees time with their family but money. Research from the Trades Union Congress (TUC) found that workers gave away more than £31bn worth of work last year. Tackling head on the root of a long-hours working culture and employee stress could help improve the happiness of your workforce. An Organisational Wellbeing Profile can provide a snapshot of the wellbeing of a set population and detail both health risks and health intentions. The Wellbeing Profile is a simple tool to understand your workplace’s needs.
Productivity decrease
Research in the UK has highlighted that a long-hours working culture can be counter-productive in terms of employee productivity and is damaging to the health of the employee. Offering employees workplace incentives can encourage employees to take a break and step away from their desks, thus returning with a clear mind. Lunchtime office workouts such as Walkfit Classes, Yoga or BMF Group Workouts can re-energise employees and improve their productivity. An increase in endorphins will make employees think quicker and improve problem solving skills. Providing employees with office massages can also help to relieve tension and stress, increase productivity, improve morale and maintain good health practices.
Health and safety risks
Long working hours can lead to fatigue, and physical and emotional stress. When people are exhausted and stressed there is more room for human error such as workplace accidents or job mistakes. Monitoring the hours worked by your employees can ensure they are not posing a health and safety risk to themselves and those around them. Developing a workplace wellness policy will also help to ensure the physical, emotional and social wellness needs of your workforce are met. It will provide clarity on the ways in which the company provides wellness solutions and tackling the issue in question.
Constantly switched on employees
The French government introduced a legislation which went into effect on 1st January 2017 which gave French workers the “right to disconnect”. The policy was aimed at counteracting the health risks caused switched-on work culture enabled by technology and refocus the line between work and home life. If employees have no break from their work they will be constantly stressed, unrelaxed and it will cause a decline in productivity. Offering employees flexible hours can enable staff to work the hours best suited to their lifestyle and better manage their work life.
Why you should future proof your business
The 2018 Modern Family Index highlighted that two in five parents said that changing company culture to make work-life balance more acceptable should be a priority for employers. Employers who create a healthy and happy workplace environment where employees are nurtured and supported will experience employee loyalty and high-quality performance. Implementing a wellness strategy within your company can help to increase employee engagement, reduce absenteeism and presenteeism, improve productivity and morale, demonstrate sustainable business practices and importantly help your company to be viewed as a desirable place to attract new staff to and retain current staff.
Incorpore have been delivering gym solutions for 17 years to over 1,700 of the largest employers in the British Isles from over 3,200 health clubs. Our mission is to dramatically increasing the uptake and promotion of gym memberships and wellbeing services within the working population of the British Isles.
Incorpore has two gym solution products offering discounted gym memberships: GymFlex and My Gym Discounts. Along with offering gym solutions, Incorpore provide discounts on health, sport and fitness products through My Active Discounts. Our newest product is Your Wellness Hub, which is a platform dedicated to providing employers with the tools to help improve the health and wellness of their workplace. Whether your company is just starting out on its health and wellness journey, or you are best in class and seeking ways to improve, Your Wellness Hub is here to add a new dimension to the way in which you deliver this strategy by offering a whole host of products and services that will encourage your employees to Live Fit, Work Fit and Think Fit.