Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

Personnel Today

Register
Log in
Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today

StressFinancial wellbeingLatest NewsMental healthWellbeing

Six in 10 seek help with cost of living from employer

by Jo Faragher 29 Jun 2022
by Jo Faragher 29 Jun 2022 Pic: Shutterstock
Pic: Shutterstock

Six in 10 workers think their employers should step in to help with the cost of living crisis, according to data from Culture Amp.

Women are feeling the pinch more than men, its survey found, with 84% of female respondents worried about their finances compared with 57% of men.

Younger employees are also experiencing concerns – around four fifths of 25 to 34-year-olds were struggling to make ends meet compared to two-thirds of over-55s.

The survey follows news earlier this week that a third of employees are living “payday to payday”, according to research from Willis Towers Watson.

A number of employers have responded to soaring inflation with one-off cost of living payments, such as Lloyds Banking Group and law firm Irwin Mitchell. Others, such as big four consulting firm PwC, have offered inflation-busting pay increases.

In the 12 months to May, inflation measured by the consumer prices index (CPI) rate hit 9.1%, its highest in 40 years.

Cost of living support

Third of employees living ‘payday to payday’

Workers feeling increasingly anxious, burnt out and fearful about cost of living 

Strengthening the financial wellbeing of your workforce

Culture Amp also found that half of respondents were worried about whether broader geopolitical uncertainty might affect their employment prospects.

Of those who were looking to change jobs, 44% of women and 17% of men cited a stressful working environment as a driver behind the move.

Women were more likely to put a brave face on the situation if they were unhappy at work, with 45% saying they had done this in the past month, compared with only 18% of men. A third of women said they had cried because of work in the last month.

Jessica Brannigan, lead people scientist at Culture Amp, said the combination of rising living costs, geopolitical uncertainties and stress was creating “another layer of trauma” for HR to deal with.

“The level of discipline/focus demanded by remote working, and some employers’ wish to modify or even abolish it, only worsens matters,” she said.

“Many early warning signs of employees’ discontent or stress from this situation may be going unnoticed because team members are hiding their true anxieties and ploughing on, without seeking deeper support from managers or colleagues.

“Organisations that put their people first thrive, because ultimately they’re the key to customers having exceptional service and experiences.

“Employees becoming more financially stressed and generally burnt out will have decreasing emotional energy levels to ensure their organisation delivers exceptional service or innovative products. This also means company culture will be undermined, detrimentally impacting everyone.”

A separate survey from employee benefits provider Blackhawk Network also found that employees seek greater support from their places of work on living costs. It found that 83% of employees think employee benefits have a role in supporting them with the cost of living, and 24% have already used their benefits package as part of their approach to dealing with rising costs.

Compensation and benefits opportunities on Personnel Today


Browse more compensation and benefits jobs

Jo Faragher
Jo Faragher

Jo Faragher has been an employment and business journalist for 20 years. She regularly contributes to Personnel Today and writes features for a number of national business and membership magazines. She won the Willis Towers Watson HR journalist of the year award in 2015 and has been highly commended twice.

previous post
What has cyber security got to do with HR?
next post
MP seeks action on Passport Office’s ‘toxic’ working culture

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

You may also like

Inflation reaches 9.4%, but pay awards well behind

20 Jul 2022

Real wages fall 2.8% as pay fails to...

19 Jul 2022

Cost of living crisis fuelling stress, anxiety and...

11 Jul 2022

NI threshold increase ‘not likely to benefit workers’

6 Jul 2022

Third of employees living ‘payday to payday’

27 Jun 2022

Cost of living could lead to ‘pandemic sized’...

27 Jun 2022

White-hot recruitment market? William Tincup talks to Oven-Ready...

24 Jun 2022

Inflation in May 2022 at 40-year high, as...

22 Jun 2022

Cost of living: real wages fall 2.2% in...

14 Jun 2022

The seven dimensions of wellness at work (webinar)

8 Jun 2022

  • 6 reasons why work-based learning is better than traditional training PROMOTED | A recent Fortune/Deloitte survey found that 71% of CEOs are anticipating that this year’s biggest business disrupter...Read more
  • Strengthening Scotland’s public services through virtual recruiting PROMOTED | This website is Scotland's go-to place for job seekers looking to apply for roles in public services...Read more
  • What’s next for L&D? Enter Alchemist… PROMOTED | It’s time to turn off the tedious and get ready for interactive and immersive learning experiences...Read more
  • Simple mistakes are blighting the onboarding experience PROMOTED | The onboarding of new hires is a company’s best chance...Read more

PERSONNEL TODAY

About us
Contact us
Browse all HR topics
Email newsletters
Content feeds
Cookies policy
Privacy policy
Terms and conditions

JOBS

Personnel Today Jobs
Post a job
Why advertise with us?

EVENTS & PRODUCTS

The Personnel Today Awards
The RAD Awards
Employee Benefits
Forum for Expatriate Management
OHW+
Whatmedia

ADVERTISING & PR

Advertising opportunities
Features list 2022

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • Linkedin


© 2011 - 2022 DVV Media International Ltd

Personnel Today
  • OHW+
  • Join
  • Resources
    • Clinical governance
    • Disability
    • Ergonomics
    • Health surveillance
    • OH employment law
    • OH service delivery
    • Research
    • Return to work and rehabilitation
    • Sickness absence management
    • Wellbeing and health promotion
  • Conditions
    • Mental health
    • Musculoskeletal disorders
    • Blood pressure
    • Cancer
    • Cardiac
    • Dementia
    • Diabetes
    • Respiratory
    • Stroke
  • CPD
  • Webinars
  • OHW Awards
  • Jobs
  • Personnel Today