Poor employee health costs the the UK economy an estimated £138bn per year due to absence and impact on productivity at work, according to research from Vitality.
As part of its 2023 Britain’s Healthiest Workplace survey, Vitality found UK workers lost an average of 6.1 days a year due to formal absence, with the majority of lost working hours due to employees not working effectively as a result of ill-health.
On average, employees lost nearly one day per week (43.6 days annually) as a result of mental and physical health issues such as musculoskeletal conditions, depression, and poor sleep quality.
However, while health remains a significant challenge for UK employers, the research also indicated that the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic on the UK’s productivity may have eased.
The 2023 research showed reduced levels of burn-out (27.1% lower), job dissatisfaction (10.6% lower) while home-workers were less likely to report finding it difficult to relax while away from work (43% lower).
The impact of poor health
Mental health issues were found to have the greatest negative impact on productivity: those at risk of depression, fatigue and burnout lost 151%, 141% and 120% more productive days compared to those who did not report these health issues.
However, physical health issues also continued to affect productivity in the workplace.
Health risk factors such as a poor diet, obesity, musculoskeletal conditions and lack of physical activity increased lost time by 14%, 54% and 28% respectively.
A generational divide
A lack of productivity at work due to health concerns was found to be particularly acute for those under 30, who lost an average of 59.7 days per year, whereas those over 50 lost an average of 36.3 days a year – a 64% difference.
While younger people reported better physical health, and being more physically active than their older colleagues, they reported significantly higher levels of mental health concerns.
The data revealed under 30s had higher levels of burnout (17.0%), depression (14.6%) and fatigue (55.6%) compared to other age groups.
They were also 224% more likely than older employees (over 50) to suffer from depression, although this number increased to 257% if they were dissatisfied with their jobs regardless of their age.
Role of employers
But the research also showed one in five felt their manager does not care about their health, with employees earning less than £30,000 per annum being 86% more likely to feel unsupported than their higher-earning colleagues compared to employees earning more than £60,000 per annum.
Of the companies surveyed, there was an average of 47 ‘interventions’ offered to tackle health issues.
While only 25% of the individuals surveyed said they used the measures offered by their employer, on average 85% of those who did use available health interventions found them useful.
Meaningful action
Neville Koopowitz, CEO of Vitality, said: “Our research clearly shows the impact of health and wellbeing on productivity in the UK, and the implications for the UK economy are concerning.
“The data highlights the complexity of the problem facing UK employers, but also the opportunity for benefit if it can be addressed.
“Businesses must recognise the importance and impact of facilitating a healthy workplace, one that acknowledges employees’ mental and physical health needs.
“Action needs to be meaningful and informed, and employees need to feel that their wellbeing matters and be educated and encouraged to use the support available.
“If health at work is properly managed, business and the wider economy stand to gain significantly.”