A third (37%) of British workers said they perceive economic concerns as the biggest threat to their jobs, according to new research from Axa Health.
The health insurer conducted the research among 2,000 UK employees and found that ill health was thought to be the second biggest threat to their jobs (33%). For workers aged 45 and above, ill health was the number one perceived career threat.
A third of 16-24-year-old respondents believe their workplace prohibits them from leading a healthy lifestyle, as they often feel stressed. When asked what being healthy at work means, 43% cited feeling motivated and engaged as their top priority, followed by a clean, organised environment (41%), and a psychologically safe workplace (39%).
In addition, 19% said they are too busy to use benefits and 17% find the process too complicated or inconvenient.
While nearly half (45%) spend their lunch breaks scrolling on their phones, rising to 53% among 35-44-year-olds, only 9% use the time for exercise. Just 1% of those aged 55 and above use their lunch break for exercise and 18% do not take a break at all, the highest of any group.
A third (33%) age 16-24 already believe they may need to retire early due to health concerns. While most would ideally like to stop working between 60-64, they expect to work until 65-69, and 39% have had to increase their retirement age due to financial pressures.
Heather Smith, chief executive officer of Axa Health, said: “These findings should serve as a wake-up call for UK employers. When a third of workers see ill health as a major threat to their careers and young people are already worried about early retirement due to health concerns, we need to take action.
“Workers are telling us they need motivation, engagement, and psychologically safe environments to feel healthy at work. This needs more than just a blanket benefit structure, it’s about creating the right workplace environment and culture and, of course, choosing the right benefits to support the needs of their workforce. Ultimately, we need a shift from reactive healthcare to preventative wellbeing that’s genuinely embedded in business strategy.”
