Almost a quarter of UK office workers don’t take any breaks during their working day, apart from lunch breaks, and 46 per cent of people said that their employers and line managers do not encourage them to take breaks, according to new research from YuLife.
The research found 42 per cent of people are more stressed at work than they were before the onset of the pandemic.
Against this backdrop, 93 per cent of people say that employers have an obligation to safeguard employees’ wellbeing – rising to 97 per cent among women.
The research found 38 per cent of people say that their sleep quality is more disturbed than before the pandemic, with 25 per cent saying they are both sleeping less and that their sleep quality is more disrupted.
But a majority of workers have healthy intentions, with 69 per cent of people say they plan healthier behavioural habits once restrictions loosen, including healthy eating, losing weight, or exercising or meditating more, rising to 82 per cent among 18 to 24-year-olds.
Work wellbeing is being challenged, with 30 per cent believing the lack of in-person interaction with colleagues as a result of working from home negatively affecting their wellbeing.
The research has also found 33 per cent of people say that they are less motivated in the workplace than before the pandemic, while 25 per cent believe that opportunities to exercise or improve their physical wellbeing constitute the most beneficial service employers could provide to boost their health.
Dr Rangan Chatterjee, chief wellbeing officer, YuLife said: “Rising stress, reduced sleep, fewer breaks and more time spent in front of screens are combining to take their toll on Britons’ wellbeing.
“Employers must now take the lead in encouraging employees to take simple but necessary steps to enhance their wellbeing in the workplace.”
YuLife CEO and Founder Sammy Rubin said: “A year of widespread disruption in the wake of the pandemic has had a clear and pronounced impact on wellbeing in the workplace and on individual lifestyle habits. Employers must heed this wake-up call and strive to find solutions that respond to employees’ changing needs, ensuring that they are supported whether working from home or the office.”