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UK employers are failing to recognise the needs of employees when it comes to creating a healthy workplace, with almost a third (31%) equating “healthy working” to eating healthily at work.

According to new Ipsos MORI research commissioned by Investors in People – the organisation that works with companies to improve performance by investing in their people – many employers[1] openly admit their ignorance about how to improve the health and wellbeing of their workforce. A quarter (24%) say their organisation does not take action because they simply don’t understand how best to help, whilst a further 17% say it would be too expensive.

Alarmingly, 30% of employees[2] say that their employers think healthy working is either a wasted investment, a waste of time, nothing to do with them or that it doesn’t mean anything.

This picture is further reinforced by responses from employees, with one in five (20%) saying their employer pays lip service to the health and wellbeing of employees at work or has no interest in promoting it. Underlining the negative impact of this lack of action, a worrying 30% of employees are either suffering from or know someone who is suffering from work related stress, potentially undermining productivity and performance.

Yet both employers and employees see the benefits that healthy working can deliver. Nearly half of all those questioned (45%) felt that if their organisation took steps which had a positive impact on their personal heath and wellbeing at work, it would improve their job satisfaction, whilst 37% felt that it would boost their motivation and 31% said it would improve their productivity and performance.  

Conversely, respondents said that symptoms of an unhealthy workplace include low staff morale (52%), high turnover of staff (51%), absenteeism (49%) and high stress (44%).

Simon Jones, Acting Chief Executive at Investors in People UK, commented:

“At first glance, you might think employers understand the importance of a healthy workplace, with 41% saying it means investing in the future of the business. However, look more closely and it appears that many bosses are missing the point. Despite recognition of the benefits that a healthy workplace can deliver, some employers simply don’t seem to understand that it is about more than just gym membership and fresh fruit. 

 “Our research shows that employees actually want better support and development structures to create a healthier environment – and managers should take heed. The bottom line is that an unhealthy, unhappy workforce will also be uncommitted and unproductive. If employers don’t address this, they will see a negative impact both on individuals and the performance of the business.”

When employers and employees were questioned about what their company or organisation offers to improve the health and wellbeing of staff, the top two responses given were break or rest areas (41%) and compliance with health and safety regulations (39%). In contrast, effective day-to-day support from managers, flexible working, support with workload management and appropriate channels for raising concerns were called for as the measures felt to have the most impact on improving health and wellbeing at work.

Investors in People is currently working on a project to encourage organisations to tackle the health and wellbeing of their workforce with a more focused and in-depth approach.

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Notes to editors

Ipsos MORI interviewed a nationally representative quota sample of 897 working adults (excluding the self employed), face to face across the UK between 8 February - 22 March 2007. 683 respondents were defined as ‘employees’. The full sample has been weighted to the known profile of the GB and Northern Ireland population. 

Investors in People:

• This year, Investors in People is celebrating its 15th anniversary.
• The Investors in People Standard provides a framework for improving business performance and competitiveness through good practice in human resource development.
• An organisation that has achieved the Standard has been successful in adopting and maintaining its three fundamental principles: Plan - developing strategies to improve the performance of the organisation, from business goals to leadership strategies; Do - implementing those strategies, taking action to improve the performance of the organisation; Review - evaluating and adjusting those strategies, measuring their impact on the performance of the organisation.
• The Investors in People Standard and Profile are promoted and developed by Investors in People UK – an organisation whose main stakeholder is the Department for Education and Skills.
• The Investors in People Standard is delivered by a partner network:

1. In England, the network of Investors in People Centres.
2. In Scotland, Scottish Enterprise (SE) or Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
3. In Wales, the Business Skills Delivery Team at the Department for Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills, Welsh Assembly Government.
4. In Northern Ireland, the Department for Employment of Learning.