Employers and their staff continue to view workplace wellbeing through different lenses, according to new research by the British Safety Council.
The survey, carried out by YouGov among over 4,000 employees and employers in July, found that while most organisations recognise the importance of wellbeing, staff often feel there is less support available than employers believe is in place.
The findings reveal significant gaps in perceptions of how embedded wellbeing strategies are, what support is provided, and how wellbeing should be regulated.
Importance of Wellbeing Widely Recognised
Six in 10 employers (60 percent) said wellbeing was either important or very important to their organisation. However, 27 percent of employers considered their wellbeing approach to be embedded, compared with only 20 percent of employees. By contrast, 21 percent of employees said their organisation had no wellbeing strategy at all, compared with 16 percent of employers.
Where wellbeing was seen as very important, nearly two-thirds of organisations (65 percent) also had a formal definition in place. This fell to just 19 percent among organisations where wellbeing was considered only moderately important.
Provision Gaps Between Employers and Employees
Employers consistently reported offering more wellbeing measures than employees said they could access. Nearly half of employers (49 percent) said flexible or remote working was available, but only 40 percent of employees agreed. On burnout prevention, 26 percent of employers said support was provided, compared with just 14 percent of employees.
The survey also asked employees to rate their overall wellbeing at work. Almost half (47 percent) said it was moderate, while over a third (36 percent combined) rated it high or very high. Around one in five (18 percent) reported low or very low wellbeing. Where employees viewed wellbeing strategies as more embedded and mature, wellbeing ratings were higher, with 8 percent reporting very high and 61 percent high wellbeing.
“We know that when done well, supporting people’s wellbeing at work not only helps them thrive and cope with change it also leads to a happier, more motivated and more productive workforce,” Mike Robinson, chief executive of the British Safety Council, said.
“But as we have also found, some significant differences exist between how employees and employers perceive not only what support is on offer but also the maturity of that provision.
“This matters because, as our survey shows, when wellbeing strategies are more embedded and mature, levels of wellbeing are also higher. Which makes it all the more important that we help organisations to develop effective, measurable wellbeing strategies which are fit for purpose for their workplace.”
Regional Contrasts in Wellbeing
The research also revealed differences across regions. London had the highest proportion of employees reporting high workplace wellbeing (42 percent) and the lowest share of low wellbeing (14 percent). Employers in the capital also reported the most mature wellbeing strategies, aligning closely with employees’ views.
In the North East, however, employees rated wellbeing strategies lower and reported the highest share of low wellbeing (27 percent) along with one of the lowest shares of high wellbeing (27 percent). This was despite most employers in the region saying they had operational or embedded wellbeing approaches.
Shared Calls for Policy Intervention
Both employers and employees showed support for policy measures to strengthen workplace wellbeing. Legally binding obligations such as minimum leave or workload limits were the most popular option, backed by 40 percent of employees and 29 percent of employers. A legal duty to assess risks to wellbeing was supported by 28 percent of employees and 23 percent of employers.
By contrast, voluntary certification or accreditation was seen as less useful, with support from only 12 percent of employees and 15 percent of employers.
Differences also emerged by organisation size, with large organisations employing 250 or more staff most likely to support legally binding obligations (36 percent). Smaller firms with 10 to 49 staff placed greater emphasis on tax incentives or financial subsidies for wellbeing programmes (35 percent). Micro-businesses also favoured subsidies, with 29 percent listing them as a top priority.
Clearer Strategies Needed
Robinson said the results showed the need for more clarity and communication between organisations and their staff.
“While this research does not identify one single way forward, it does show that both employers and employees would welcome more clarity, direction and support from policymakers and regulators, possibly even legally binding obligations or better incentives and support.
“The big message coming through these survey findings is the need for clear communication between employers and their staff, to close the gap between perceptions in the levels and types of support and ensure that wellbeing strategies work for everyone.
“In meeting the real wellbeing needs of our employees, we will be better able to deal with challenges we face now and in the future through wider economic and technological change.”