Almost three quarters (73%) of respondents believe employers should be doing more to support staff who are struggling with their physical or mental health, according to research by Bupa UK.
Its survey of 2,000 UK employees also found that 64% of respondents feel they would be significantly more productive at work if they were less stressed.
The research also found:
- 53% of respondents report feeling physically unwell as a result of a poor work-life balance.
- 52% of respondents believe that work makes them more unwell than anything in their personal lives.
- 51% of respondents are kept awake at night by work stress.
- 76% of respondents have seen colleagues leave their organisation due to a lack of support around workplace stress.
- 87% of respondents expect employers to do all they can to support their health and wellbeing.
Patrick Watt (pictured), corporate director at Bupa UK, said: “The prime minister Theresa May’s ambition to improve the UK’s mental wellbeing is welcome and necessary. Productivity still suffers because mental health is seen by many as secondary to physical fitness.
“I’m happy to say that thousands of businesses of all sizes are addressing this issue with their own people. But in doing so, they are recognising that the key challenge is no longer lack of awareness, but tackling stigma.
“As ever, prevention is as, if not more, important in tackling awareness and stigma associated with mental wellbeing conditions. From my experience, I know that [employees] are now more in touch with issues surrounding mental health and have increasing expectations that their employer will provide an environment which supports their wellbeing. So, creating an environment where people feel confident talking about and accessing mental wellbeing services is as important from a productivity perspective as it is in attracting and retaining new talent.”