Are organisations truly dedicated to their employees’ well-being?
In light of World Mental Health day and its 75th anniversary last week, we surveyed over 12,000 individuals across the UK to gain a better understanding of how they are feeling at work, what could improve their workplace mental well-being and what level of support they are receiving from their employer currently.?
While mental health is a popular talking point, with companies constantly trying to implement new ways to help their employees manage their well-being in efforts to improve their employer brand, our latest results have uncovered some shocking statistics about how the workforce is genuinely feeling, and what support is actually deemed valuable.?
Decline in mental health impacting employee retention
Almost half of our survey respondents told us that they are considering leaving, or would like to leave their profession in the next 12 months due to stress and/or mental health conditions.?
With that in mind, there is a huge opportunity for employers to listen, understand and implement programmes to develop their well-being initiatives. In return, turnover rates will be much lower and productivity higher, as evidenced by Oxford University who found that happy employees were 13% more productive . In some cases, effective well-being practices are already in place, but it needs to be communicated more widely and regularly.
In order to find out what employees value most, we asked respondents which factors they believe had a positive impact on their well-being in the last 12 months. Unsurprisingly, having a good work-life balance came out on top. On the contrary, things that negatively affected well-being were mostly economic concerns including cost of accommodation, utilities and job insecurity.
The gender-gap
Generic well-being initiatives and one-size-fits all won’t work anymore. Our results indicate different employee groups have different needs.?
Women were 26% more likely than men to have taken time off work due to mental health conditions over the last 12 months, with almost one in three revealing that they have done so. They were also 45% more likely than men to select “work related challenges” as a factor that has negatively impacted their mental health.?
Our survey identified that the highest levels of fulfilment at work were reported by women working from home, while men found the most fulfilment in hybrid work arrangements.?
When it comes to physical presence in the workplace and its link to mental wellbeing, our research revealed that women working full-time in the office were the most likely to have taken leave due to mental health and stress related reasons. They were more inclined to express intentions of leaving their profession due to stress related factors.
The generational divide
Are younger generations less committed to work, or more aware of their mental health?
领英推荐
Workers aged 35 and under were 60% more likely to take days off due to mental health issues compared to those aged 51 and over (31.3% vs. 19.5%). However, 46% of the younger group didn't disclose the reason to their employer, compared to 35% of the older group.?
When asked about changes in well-being over the past year, nearly twice as many under-35s reported improvement compared to those over 51. Younger workers also rated their overall well-being and happiness at work slightly higher and reported less stress and loneliness in the workplace.
So, although it may seem as if the younger generation are taking more time off work due to their mental health, they are happier at work as a result of this, and more likely to believe their employers are supporting their well-being compared to mature employees.
To find out more about these fascinating results, read all the resources here .
In other news.
HS2 cancellation
Our Chief Executive, Victoria Short recently shared her views on the cancellation of the HS2 project with Building.co.uk . Her commentary relates to the recent news of Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak scrapping the project due to delays and cost overruns. Read more on the story here .
The rise in demand of RPA skills
The constant improvements to modernising operations has led to Robotic Process Automation (RPA) skills becoming more in-demand than ever. Our Director of Client Technology and Automation, Ged McNamara takes us through the five top skills to secure the best contractor rates. Take a look .?
Randstad on the Thames 2023
Earlier this month we welcomed the Clipper Stad Amsterdam to London and hosted clients and partners, inviting them to take part in a series of sessions delivered by subject experts. We discussed diversity in leadership, the importance of women in tech, creating a positive workplace culture, mental wellbeing, held our very own employer branding awards ceremony, and much more. The weekend saw a staff family day in the sun, plus an event for local charity, Keech Hospice who were given exclusive access for a memory-making day for children receiving end-of-life care.
Lighthouse construction industry charity partnership
We are pleased to announce The Lighthouse Construction Industry charity as one of our partners for 2023/24. This year alone, the charity supported 1,267 families with financial grants, provided 1,577 counselling sessions, and delivered 2,394 meals for families. We are proud to support the only charity dedicated to the emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support of construction workers and their families.