More than half (52%) of UK workers are coming in to work despite suffering work-related health issues, according to research from Fellowes.
The survey of over 4,000 employees and over 500 employers found that Brits were suffering regularly from backache (34%), neck ache (25%) and headaches (23%) as a direct result of how they are working. In addition, as many as one in five (19%) UK workers highlighted weight problems, and one in ten (8%) cited an increase in blood pressure as a result of poor wellbeing at work.
The main bad habits UK employees admit to in the workplace include poor posture when sitting at desks (55%), not drinking enough water (42%), and sitting for too long without taking a break (42%). A third (34%) of workers said they have considered moving jobs due to the negative impact of their work environment on their health.
The research highlighted a potential miscommunication between employers and staff. Despite the fact that senior managers in the UK identified improving morale (51%), productivity (50%) and creating a healthier workplace (39%) as their top priorities, only 39% of employees were aware that their employers currently offer health and wellbeing initiatives to address these areas.
Two fifths (44%) of the workforce said they did not think their employer was doing enough to support their general wellbeing, despite 58% claiming that their work would be of a better quality if they received more support.
Louise Shipley, European business team manager of workspace management at Fellowes, said that the findings signal serious problems with how organisations are approaching wellbeing and productivity. “They show a clear lack of awareness around the causes and effects of a presenteeism culture in the office,” she said.
“The tools are there for business leaders to tackle presenteeism and help to prevent the widespread workplace health issues that are dragging down productivity and work quality. It’s time for leaders to take the reins and drive a potentially huge impact on their organisations.”