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

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

StressMental health conditionsLatest NewsWellbeing and health promotionWellbeing

Nearly half of employees do nothing to tackle work-related stress

by Ashleigh Webber 27 Jul 2018
by Ashleigh Webber 27 Jul 2018 Exercise is the most popular method of relieving work-related stress
Exercise is the most popular method of relieving work-related stress

Almost half (48%) of workers in the UK do little or nothing to relieve work-related stress, a survey has found, often due to a lack of free time.

A poll of more than 1,000 employees by learning provider Obby found that not having enough time outside of work was the reason why 65% of people did not take part in some form of stress-relieving activity.

Stress

How to prevent workplace stress

How HR can help stressed employees cope

How employers can help break down barriers to physical activity

Workers in the professional services sector, which includes accounting and law, struggled the most to find time for stress relief (58%). This was closely followed by those in education (55%) and healthcare (53%).

Only 19% said their employer offered healthy ways to de-stress as part of their benefits package. A further 79% said they would welcome workplace-based activities to relieve stress if their employer offered them.

Tom Batting, co-founder of Obby, said it was in employers’ best interests to ensure that their staff took measures to manage their stress levels.

“It’s worrying how many workers claim they do not prioritise getting the stress relief that is so important for maintaining mental health.

“The irony is that this can actually become a vicious cycle – if we don’t make time for stress relief, this can lead to becoming more stressed or even burnout, both of which can reduce productivity further,” he said.

The UK was recently ranked in the bottom five in the world for mental wellbeing by Cigna, with more than a quarter of those suffering from stress stating work was the reason for their condition.

Batting suggested that employers communicate with their staff about how important stress relief is, or they should allow them to work flexible hours so that they can attend a stress-relieving activity – whether provided by the organisation or not.

“As well as reducing stress, this can positively impact on an employees’ focus, concentration and efficiency in the workplace,” he added.

Physical activity was the most popular method for stress relief – 44% of those who regularly took time to de-stress chose to exercise. Thirty-nine per cent turned to a hobby and 35% sought support from friends or family.

A 14-year study into the impact of work on health recently found that stressful jobs are more likely to lead to premature death in men with heart problems.

Ashleigh Webber
Ashleigh Webber

Ashleigh is editor at OHW+ and HR and wellbeing editor at Personnel Today. Ashleigh's areas of interest include employee health and wellbeing, equality and inclusion and skills development. She has hosted many webinars for Personnel Today, on topics including employee retention, financial wellbeing and menopause support. Prior to joining Personnel Today in 2018, she covered the road transport sector for Commercial Motor and Motor Transport magazines, touching on some of the employment and wellbeing issues experienced by those in road haulage.

previous post
More than a million employees not taking holiday at risk of burnout
next post
Retail sector employee levels set to stagnate further

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

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

You may also like

Signs of severe eating disorders often missed, warns...

23 May 2022

Workers feeing increasingly anxious, burnt out and fearful...

13 May 2022

Three-quarters not meeting weekly exercise target

11 May 2022

Mental health still topping the concerns for employers

9 May 2022

Occupational health must help ‘de-risk’ requests for addiction...

6 May 2022

Severe Covid cognitive impairment ‘equivalent to 20 years...

4 May 2022

Four in five GPs suffering with mental health

29 Apr 2022

Government seeks evidence on mental ill-health prevention and...

19 Apr 2022

OH will be key to navigating ‘second pandemic’...

14 Apr 2022

Men’s mental health: motivating staff to open up

12 Apr 2022

  • The importance of being an ethical leader and how to become one PROMOTED | What is ethical leadership?...Read more
  • RPO Report: 2022, The Year to Outsource PROMOTED | Employers should be overwhelmed with choice...Read more
  • Report: Enabling organisational agility through talent & people success PROMOTED | Work has been challenged...Read more
  • Employee Trends 2022 report PROMOTED | Edenred research on employees analysed the key employees’ trends for 2022...Read more
  • How finance apprenticeships can boost business PROMOTED | As the world’s most forward-thinking professional accountancy body...Read more
  • Paul Devoy: Showing appreciation to the Investors in People community PROMOTED | Ask most people what comes to mind when you mention Investors in People...Read more
  • White paper: How digitalisation can support evolving occupational health PROMOTED | Download this free white paper to discover how digitalisation can help occupational health meet emerging challenges...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