Health in the Workplace

The workplace has, in recent years for some become one of the unhealthiest environments in which to operate. Employees find themselves in pressure situations where they may be unclear of their job definition other than to appear busy and create a positive impression.

Motivation levels are very low and workers do what is necessary by agreeing, smiling and nodding heads in order to climb the corporate ladder. Employees in the United Kingdom work on average the longest hours per week in their main job (compared with the rest of the EU) and this holds for both men and women. Men's hours range from 39 per week in Belgium and the Netherlands to 42 in Greece and 45 in the United Kingdom. Women's hours all fall in the range 36 hours (Italy) to 41 hours (United Kingdom).

This issue needs to be addressed in order to improve the state of "corporate health". According to statistics, over 2 million people are suffering from an illness or injury which they believe is caused or made worse by their current or past work (Health and Occupation Reporting Network).

An overwhelming 97% of senior HR professionals believe that stress at work is the biggest threat to the future health of the UK workforce.

Stress and musculoskeletal injuries are the most common cause of absence in business, and according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, staff on average cost an employer £567 EACH per year in lost earnings through absence, although this figure could actually be tripled when the indirect costs of sickness in loss of sales, reduced customer service and lower productivity are taken into account.

Some 32.9 million working days are lost annually from people taking time off due to their illnesses.

The Cost of Back Pain: Over 1.1 million people in the UK experience musculoskeletal disorders caused by work, with an estimated 12.3 million days lost annually because of this.

The Cost of Work Related Stress: Stress is a natural reaction people have to excessive pressures placed upon them. While not an illness itself, if it is prolonged or intense it can lead to mental and physical ill health. This can include depression, back pain or heart disease.

In the United Kingdom as many as one in five people are suffering form high levels of work related stress (that's around 5 million workers). Around half a million individuals report experiencing stress at a level they believe made them ill. This results in approximately 13.4 million working days lost per year.

What Can Be Done? Studies have shown that not only does exercise keep you looking and feeling your best, it helps boost energy and concentration, therefore making you much more productive at work. According to an MSNBC report, 60% of workers that participated in a recent British study indicated that taking an "exercise break" during the day boosted their time management, mental performance, and ability to meet deadlines. Researchers found that exercise provided a performance boost of up to 15%. It also improved worker's overall mood at the end of the day. The type of exercise, the duration, and the intensity didn't seem to matter. The effect was observed over a wide range of activities including yoga, strength training, and aerobics. We recommend taking a couple of small 15-30 minute breaks during the day is a great way to renew your focus, concentration, and energy. This is especially true for creative knowledge workers who have to concentrate intensely for long periods of time over the course of a typical workday. Exercise is a great activity for break time because it not only gives you an immediate energy boost, but it also helps you release stress and deal with job pressures. Some activities to consider during your breaks include light stretching or talking a stroll outside. If you'd rather not sweat too much while at work, you can save more intense physical activity for lunchtime (when you can shower) or after work.

"Corporate wellness" programmes are a growing sector within many businesses to promote the physical health of employees for the purposes of increasing productivity and reducing absenteeism.

The format of most programmes usually involves health checks, seminars and cut priced gym memberships. This service is a huge step in the right direction and should be promoted to all businesses. Although this alone may make an employee feel upbeat about their job for a little longer it doesn't really address the real issues.

Research has suggested that nearly half of all Brits blame the demands of the workplace for preventing them from getting to the gym, so what use is a cut price membership if you can't find the time to exercise??