Half (50%) of respondents consider the perception of cost as the biggest barrier to workplace wellbeing, according to research by Warrington-based business park Birchwood Park.
Its survey of 156 employees based in the north west of England also found that 35% of respondents believe mental health in the workplace will be the biggest challenge for businesses over the next 10 years.
The research also found:
- 44% of respondents state that their organisation has a wellbeing strategy in place, compared to 32% who do not know whether their organisation has a wellbeing strategy.
- 91% of respondents think that staff happiness is a key benefit of effective wellbeing initiatives.
- 73% of respondents believe having amenities in close proximity is important for workplace wellbeing.
- 89% of respondents consider the office environment or fit-out as being the most important aspect of workplace wellbeing.
- 99% of respondents agree that workplace wellbeing is important.
Martin O’Rourke (pictured), commercial director at Birchwood Park, said: “The wellbeing outlook in the north west is a positive one. Our conversations with key businesses in the region, both here at Birchwood Park and beyond, have shown there are shining examples of [organisations] who are throwing everything they have behind creating effective wellbeing strategies, and there’s a lot to be learnt from those businesses that are doing wellbeing well.
“Most businesses are investing in wellbeing whether they have a defined strategy or not, so it makes complete sense to join the dots and create a plan of activity for the year that speaks to people in [the] business. This is something that is really important to employees, and over the last 20 years, we’ve seen firsthand that, whatever the size of [the] business, there are steps that can be taken to create workplaces that cultivate staff happiness and wellbeing.”