Ill-health is now seen as the second biggest threat to a career by employees, surpassing the risk of artificial intelligence (AI) developments, according to research by Axa Health.
Furthermore, for those aged 45 or older, ill health was the number one career threat with more people worried about this leading to job loss than economic concerns.
The survey conducted by Censuswise in November among 2,000 UK workers found economic concerns (37%) were the biggest fear for people remaining employed, followed by ill health (33%) and AI (26%).
Younger workers worry about early retirement
Younger workers were only slightly less worried about the importance of their health.
Even those just starting in the workplace aged 16 to 24 already believed they may need to retire early (33%) due to health concerns.
A third of 16-24-year-olds surveyed said they thought their workplace prevented them from leading a healthy lifestyle because they often felt stressed. This highlighted that threats to careers include physical and mental health, said the insurer.
The research also highlighted a startling gap between how different age groups thought they prioritised their health at work and what they actually did.
While nearly half of workers (45%) spent their lunch breaks scrolling on their phones, rising to 53% among 35-to-44 year olds, only 9% used this time for exercise.
The habits were even more stark among those over 55, where just 1% used their lunch break for exercise while 18% of this group did not take a break at all, the highest of any group surveyed.
Despite these differences in behaviour, each age group believed they prioritised their health in the working day more than others, revealing a disconnect between perception and reality, according to the report.
Older workers take less time off
The report also highlighted that older employees are less likely to take time off work due to ill health.
“There is a paradox about age and work in that the older the employee, the less likely they are to take a day off work sick, versus their younger colleagues,“ said Lyndsey Simpson, founder and CEO of 55/Redefined.
“This stoic, resilient, always showing up attitude is admirable and benefits employers who typically see their over-50s workers 200% less likely to take a day off work than their under-30s.
“But our insight echoes Axa Health’s findings that health, both physical and mental, is the primary concern as we age, and we are not doing enough to support the decades-long careers of today’s employees.
“Working through to our mid-70s will be the norm for most, and thus to sustain 50+ year careers, we must move from reactive health to preventative health solutions,” she added.
Heather Smith, CEO of Axa Health, argued the findings were a wake-up call for employers.
“When a third of workers see ill health as a major threat to their careers and young people are already worried about early retirement due to health concerns, we need to take action,“ she said.
“Workers are telling us they need motivation, engagement, and psychologically safe environments to feel healthy at work.
“This needs more than just a blanket benefit structure – it’s about creating the right workplace environment and culture and, of course, choosing the right benefits to support the needs of their workforce.
“Ultimately, we need a shift from reactive healthcare to preventative wellbeing that’s genuinely embedded in business strategy. Looking after your health is important at every age. No matter if you are 20, 40 or 60 – it is never too early or too late to make healthy changes so you can keep being active and well in later life,” she added.