Workers who feel their employer supports their wellbeing a lot are happy and motivated at work.
This is according to Health Shield’s Britain At Work Report which also found hybrid workers strike the best work-life balance in the UK – 74% of those working a mix of at home and on site were happiest.
The report which surveyed 975 working adults over the age of 18 who were in full or part-time employment in the UK revealed significant differences in work-life balance depending on working arrangements.
It found 64% of those who worked entirely remotely said they had at least a good work-life balance and 71% of those who work entirely on site had at least a good work-life balance.
Less than three in 10 (28%) overall reported a work-life balance that was less than good. And 31% cited lack of flexible work arrangements as a barrier to achieving a healthy work-life balance.
Only 7% across all working arrangements rated their work-life balance as poor or very poor.
However, 40% of employees said that work frequently or always interfered with personal or family life and 35% picked out high workload or job demands as a barrier to work-life balance.
Around 30% cited long working hours, 24% mentioned having difficulty disconnecting from work and 11% cited not enough support from their employer.
However, 93% of employees who felt their employer supports their wellbeing a lot are happy and motivated in their work – with 98% also feeling valued and supported.
Paul Shires, director at Health Shield, said: “Employers have an important opportunity to listen to their teams by providing flexible, inclusive solutions which enable them to thrive both at work and home.
“This can be achieved by tackling the real barriers, such as excessive workloads, long hours and limited flexibility, and by considering different needs across the workforce.
“It also showed that happier employees are absent less often, taking 6.7 days off a year compared to 11.9 days for those who feel unhappy and unsupported.”
However, the report also found remote workers reported lower levels of happiness and motivation at 59%.
They also take an average of 11.2 days off sick compared to 6.7 for hybrid and 5.8 for on-site workers and were found to be less likely to say their employer supports their wellbeing a lot (28% compared to 38% of those working hybrid or on-site).
Perry Timms, HR consultant and influencer, said: “High workloads, long hours, and limited flexibility aren’t just employee challenges — they’re business challenges. Stress and burnout directly impact productivity, team performance and the bottom line.
“By implementing flexible policies and managing workloads effectively, businesses can unlock higher employee engagement, reduce turnover costs, and drive innovation.
“A thriving workforce doesn’t just perform better, it creates measurable commercial value, making investment in employee wellbeing a strategic move for long-term success.”