A third of employees feel their health is neglected at work and feel under pressure to continue working when they’re unwell.
A study released today by Business in the Community (BITC), exposes the concerns and campaigns to urge business leaders across the UK to start taking employee health more seriously.
Of those surveyed, nearly half (44%) of employees complained that they were discouraged from taking sick days when unwell, while the same figure felt under pressure to do unpaid overtime. A further two in five said that they were prevented from taking a full lunch hour.
The study suggests such behaviour can lead to further problems. Over half of employees (55%) reported suffering from stress, almost two in five with depression and over a fifth (22%) experienced panic attacks.
Lord McKenzie of Luton, the parliamentary under secretary at the Department of Work and Pensions, urged businesses to take greater attention to employee well-being. “People are our greatest resource. The UK’s future profitability is dependent on a healthy and motivated workforce, and individual businesses have much to gain in terms of reduced sick leave and recruitment costs.”
The study concluded that business owners would benefit financially from investing in great healthcare policies, demonstrating a 3:1 return on investment.
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