Two in five (40%) of UK employees say their employer offers no health or wellbeing benefits, according to research by Bupa.
Its study, which surveyed 4,000 employed UK adults and 1,000 UK employers of higher managerial level, also found that 64% of UK employers agreed that a healthy workforce is more a more productive one.
The research also found that:
- Just under a third (28%) of employees said that when it comes to wellbeing, their place of work is all talk but no action.
- 57% of UK employers agreed that good health makes good business sense compared to 85% in Australia and 82% in Poland.
- 58% of UK employers think that an unhealthy workforce is a risk to business performance, compared to 81% in New Zealand and 80% in Spain.
- More than a third (37%) of employees said that their job has a negative impact on their physical health, and over a third (36%) said it has a negative impact on their mental health.
- 50% of employees said they would be more productive if they felt healthier.
Patrick Watt, corporate director at Bupa UK, said: “Employers have a clear role to play in supporting the health and wellbeing of their workforce.
“There is huge potential for employers to engage employees and support them to adopt healthier lifestyles through workplace health and wellbeing initiatives.
“Not only will this benefit the individual, but smart employers know that healthier employers come to work, perform at their peak and go the extra mile.”