Just under half (40%) of respondents believe that stress in the workplace could be lowered if employers hired more people, according to research by MetLife Employee Benefits.
The Building resilience in the workplace report, which surveyed 1,052 full time employees over the age of 18, also found that 46% of respondents believe their organisation has not recruited enough staff since the economic downturn.
The research also found:
- 50% of respondents have access to a range of wellbeing benefits, including medical care, gym memberships, counselling services and flexible working hours.
- 42% of respondents find that their organisation helps staff to deal with work pressure and stress.
- 31% of respondents feel that employers help new recruits understand the pressures involved in their job role.
- 20% of respondents have access to an employee assistance programme (EAP), which offers telephone or online counselling.
Tom Gaynor (pictured), employee benefits director at MetLife UK, said: “Recruiting more staff is a major investment and potentially risky but there are actions employers can take to help the employees they already have without huge investment.
“Employees need to feel supported and the evidence is that employers recognise the issue and are trying to provide that support to their workforce but are not getting the message across.
“Increasingly, group risk providers are building wellness programmes into their propositions which can help prevent stress. Providers are also helping employers with the crucial issue of communication and ensuring staff are aware there is support.”