‘Unhealthiest in Europe’: What’s plaguing Britain’s workplaces?

UK workplaces officially rank the worst in Europe for workplace demands, control at work, and job strain, a new report from the Commission for Healthier Working Lives has found. 

As we spend the majority of our lives at work, the quality of our jobs can either majorly uplift, or seriously harm our wellbeing.  

Read on for the full findings of the report, including the main reasons for burnout as well as some actionable steps to help address potential problems in your business.  

What does the report say? 

We’re all very aware that the quality of the job we work in can determine a lot about how good or bad we feel in our day-to-day life. In fact, in 2022/23, 1.7 million workers in Great Britain reported work-related ill health, underlining a critical need to address job quality issues that affect health in the UK.  

But it can be a lot more challenging to assess what constitutes a “bad job” in the first place. A rapid review of the report reveals four key aspects with the strongest links to health. These include: 

• Job security and precarity 

• Excessive and/or irregular hours 

• Demands and control at work 

• Relationships and support 

The research also found that in the UK, three fifths of the workforce report having to work to tight deadlines and two fifths at high speed, both of which are among the highest rates in Europe. And just one third of workers say they have control over their work, the official lowest rate in Europe. 

What can my business do about it? 

There are several key areas to prioritise addressing going forward, including if hours are excessive, work intensity, and a lack of control or work autonomy. It’s best to break it down into short term and long-term goals so you can prioritise and start implementing changes right away. 

Short-term changes 

First, let’s start with what you can start doing right away. Realistic deadlines can be reached by first consulting your employees about what’s realistic for them. Build in buffer time to accommodate any unexpected delays and avoid stress. 

Next, consider letting your staff work flexibly, or allow employees to prioritise tasks themselves. Let staff have input on decisions made regarding how work gets done. Trust your team—they’re experienced in their field; otherwise, you probably wouldn’t have hired them… 

Encourage breaks and downtime. Use a digital clocking-in and out tool for real-time information for whether your team are taking breaks, and for how long. If someone is regularly working through lunches, this might be a cause for concern. You can also use an annual leave balance tool to make sure your team are using all their annual leave. Studies show those who don’t are at much higher risk of burnout. Be vigilant employers! 

Long term goals 

Next, you’ll want to position your business for sustainable change in the long term. Start by using employee surveys to identify key points of stress and track satisfaction trends over time. And make them truly anonymous—if employees don’t feel comfortable criticising the status quo, you could remain ignorant of harmful practices in the business. It also demonstrates a commitment to change, which can encourage your team to remain and actively help you in improving the workplace culture.  

Once feedback is gathered, implement regular reviews for policies around workloads, overtime, and deadlines to ensure they promote fairness. Set clear boundaries to support work-life balance across the business. 

Train managers in more supportive leadership, leading with empathy. You want to build a culture where employees feel comfortable about discussing concerns. This helps reduce unexpected notices being handed in, particularly in stressful periods. A separate aspect might be training managers in dealing with signs of burnout, so they can signpost staff to the correct resources and offer support. Use e-learning for cost and time effective training which provides a digital trail of which managers or staff have completed the course for maximum visibility and peace of mind.   

Invest in an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to provide meaningful mental health and workplace support for your staff. And, where possible, embrace flexible working by offering hybrid models to accommodate individual needs and reduce burnout. While some may perceive home working as slacking, studies show that those working from home actually tend to work longer due to the lack of a commute.  

Those hours add up across teams and can help spread out the overall workload during busy projects. But be careful not to blur the lines between home life and working hours though, as this can exacerbate the problem further.  

Support your staff with personalised mental health support 

The findings of the report illustrate a real need for your business to be on the pulse of the challenges facing your workforce. From investing in more effective e-learning, to utilising digital tools to support your staff in taking breaks and annual leave.  

But for comprehensive and 24/7 wellbeing support, you need BrightHR’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). Whilst you work on addressing potential issues, access fast-tracked, personalised wellbeing support which helps lower staff burnout and reduce absenteeism.  

Book a free demo with one of our friendly experts to see it in action or give us a call on 0800 470 2432 for more info.