A study of 4,383 employees has revealed that the amount of professionals experiencing anxiety and stress has increased, with one in three people reporting they never or rarely feel relaxed.
Data released by global workplace wellbeing provider Champion Health gives an insight into the health and wellbeing of the working population between January 2023 and October 2023.
While female professionals remain more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety (68%) the number of men experiencing at least mild symptoms has seen a rapid increase from 38% in 2022 to 60% in 2023.
Financial worries continue to rise and are reported as the leading cause of stress outside of work, cited by 41%, up from 37% last year. And it’s male workers who are experiencing the most financial pressure (42% compared to 36% of men last year).
Worryingly, the number of 16-24-year-olds experiencing negative stress at work has doubled since last year; and the same age group cite financial pressure as a major cause of stress, an increase from 34% to 46%.
The data, which has been published in Champion Health’s annual report also revealed that:
- Prevalence of thoughts of suicide/self-harm has increased to 13%, up from 8% in 2021 and 9% in 2022
- 40% of young people between ages 16-24 experience clinically-relevant symptoms of anxiety
- 38% of people are experiencing unhelpful/negative levels of stress in the workplace
- 53% reported feeling down, depressed or hopeless
- Physical health symptoms have also increased; 64% report eye strain, 46% report tired eyes and 34% experience headaches during the working day
Harry Bliss, CEO of Champion Health comments:
Our report shows financial pressure is affecting more people – especially younger people. However, the wellbeing scores correlate with the person’s relationship with money – the healthier your understanding of finances, ability to budget and how you feel about money, the more positive your wellbeing is likely to be. In our report, financial expert Ryan Briggs mentions the importance of creating a psychologically safe space to talk about money in the workplace – in the same way we are for mental health. This is an important message for business leaders to empower their people with knowledge about managing finances.
Harry Bliss, CEO of Champion Health
View the report at https://championhealth.co.uk/insights/guides/the-workplace-health-report-2024/.
Joanne is the editor for Workplace Wellbeing Professional and has a keen interest in promoting the safety and wellbeing of the global workforce. After earning a bachelor's degree in English literature and media studies, she taught English in China and Vietnam for two years. Before joining Work Well Pro, Joanne worked as a marketing coordinator for luxury property, where her responsibilities included blog writing, photography, and video creation.