In collaboration with

Workplace Wellbeing Census.How do people in Britain really feel about their wellbeing at work?

November 2019.

Contents.

Foreword 3

Executive Summary 4

Introduction 6

Section one: The state of wellbeing in Britain 7

Section two: Impacts on wellbeing in the workplace 12

Section three: Access to health and wellbeing services at work

19

Section four: Wellbeing issues in the workplace 24

Further reading and support 32

Methodology 33

The Bupa Workplace Wellbeing Census was undertaken on behalf of Bupa by YouGov.

About BupaBupa’s purpose is helping people live longer, healthier, happier lives.

Health insurance is the major part of our Bupa Global and UK business. Bupa UK is the UK’s leading health insurer offering health insurance to 2.2 million people. By providing direct access to MSK, mental health and cancer care, we enable our customers to access fast, high quality healthcare that is right for them, giving them choice and flexibility. We also provide pay-as-you-go healthcare, health cash plan and travel insurance. Bupa Global is the international health insurance arm of Bupa, serving 450,000 customers around the world. We provide products and services for globally minded and mobile people who want the most premium coverage and access to the healthcare they need anytime, anywhere in the world, whether at home or when studying, living, travelling or working abroad.

Bupa Dental Care is a leading provider of private and NHS dentistry in the UK, with around 2.4 million patients and over 480+ dental practices across the UK and Ireland. Bupa Care Services cares for around 6,800 residents in 120+ care homes, and eight Richmond villages. Bupa Health Services comprises 49 health clinics, and the Bupa Cromwell Hospital, a complex care hospital in London provides care for insured, self-pay, NHS and international patients.

Bupa Global and UK employs around 25,000 people.

About YouGovFounded in London in 2000, YouGov is considered the pioneer of online market research. Now an international data and analytics group with offices throughout the UK, the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, YouGov has been named one of the world’s top 25 research companies (GRBN Top 25 Report published in 2019).

Page 2

Foreword.

Foreword from Mark Allan,Commercial Director at Bupa UK

Wellbeing isn’t an easy word to define. At its simplest, wellbeing is about being healthy inside and out. Yet it’s more than physical fitness or being active – it’s also about mental health and our ability to process our emotions; our perception of our social lives and family relationships, job satisfaction and financial stability.

At Bupa, we believe good wellbeing allows everyone to flourish. Whilst we all have a personal responsibility to look after our own wellbeing, we need to look out for each other too, especially at work.

That’s why we’ve launched the Workplace Wellbeing Census, which aims to shine a light on the prevailing practices in workplaces, the key issues that affect our happiness and productivity, and provide insights to help us all improve and progress.

Our research shows that almost half of employers offer some form of health and wellbeing services for their employees – and that’s encouraging to see.

But there’s still more we can do. The report found that not only do almost one in four employees struggle with poor wellbeing, but bullying and discrimination on the basis of gender, age, race or sexual orientation are unfortunately still prevalent – with women in the workplace most affected.

Of course, each company and industry has its own wellbeing challenges, and none of us can solve the issue of wellbeing on our own. But there are steps we can all take. Employers must protect the wellbeing of their employees, and in turn employees must feel supported to raise any concerns.

Our report shows that a positive working environment where employees feel able to speak up is crucial to wellbeing and thriving professionally. And an inclusive environment where people feel able to bring their whole selves to work benefits everyone.

This study provides an important benchmark on the state of wellbeing in our workplaces. There’s room for improvement, and part of the challenge is knowing where to start.

Our goal should be creating a healthier place to work. It shouldn’t be a ‘nice to have’, or something to pay lip service to in corporate strategy meetings. A place where wellbeing is part of the culture; it’s not as impossible as it might sound.

Wellbeing: at its simplest, it’s about being healthy inside and out.

Page 3Foreword.

Executive Summary.

Why is wellbeing important in the workplace?

Wellbeing. It’s something we come across in the media, on smartphone apps, in the doctor’s waiting room – even businesses are paying attention to it. Yet what does it mean exactly? The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as ‘feeling healthy and happy’. But if it’s just a feeling, why are so many people talking about it? And why is it so important in the workplace?

At Bupa, we believe helping people to be happier and healthier, both in and out of work, is the responsibility of all employers. And it’s not just ‘the right thing to do’.

This report paints a detailed picture of wellbeing in the workplace today. It considers wellbeing not just as a person’s emotional outlook, but also the physical, mental, social and environmental factors that affect it – for better or for worse.

It gives a unique insight into the way employees feel about their wellbeing and the impact their job has on this throughout a typical working week. It shines a light on key areas businesses could focus on, to improve their own wellbeing strategy.

The Workplace Wellbeing Census highlights several causes for concern. Nearly a quarter of people are struggling with their overall wellbeing, and almost three quarters of those say both their work life and mental health are poor too. Many people feel their workload has had a negative impact on their wellbeing, and over two fifths told us they wouldn’t feel comfortable talking to their manager about their wellbeing.

Take action now Every business, no matter its size, needs to take employee wellbeing seriously. The business case is simple: having a workforce that’s healthy, resilient, engaged and motivated helps businesses to thrive.

Page 4 Executive Summary.

Four key findings to make your workplace better for everyone

1. People need people

By far the most common factor to have a positive impact on people’s wellbeing at work is the relationship they have with their colleagues. Half the people we spoke to told us this was the case.

Humans are social creatures. So, having a good relationship with the people we see and work with every day is really important. And it’s good for business too. When we feel connected with our colleagues, our enthusiasm goes up, our morale rises and we’re more inclined to get the job done.

For industries where lone working is the norm, managers should take extra care to ensure employees feel supported with a network of colleagues they can turn to.

2. The power of a positive environment

Everyone needs to feel comfortable and welcome at work. Inclusive workplaces, where each person feels valued and respected, are more likely to have happier staff and in turn, retain valuable employees for longer.

Business leaders need to focus on making positive changes to the workplace culture. Access to flexible working and better support from their line manager, more manageable workloads and more recognition for their work were all cited as improvements employees would like to see to make a positive difference to their wellbeing at work.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach. It starts with respecting the needs of the individual and empowering them to be their best self at work, every day.

3. Simple actions can drive results

The level of support someone feels they receive at work is vital. Even small actions can have a positive effect. For example, finding the time to talk, and more importantly listen, to an employee about their wellbeing – whether work related or not – is often appreciated.

Line managers have an important role to play, but they need support and appropriate training. Our research shows having a supportive line manager can be the difference between an employee raising a wellbeing issue or keeping it to themselves.

4. It’s easy to exclude people

We can’t get comfortable believing bullying and discrimination don’t exist in the workplace anymore. Our findings show this simply isn’t the case. Over a quarter of employees told us they’ve experienced some form of bullying and/or discrimination in the last three years, of which 82% said this has had a negative effect on their wellbeing.

Having a diverse workforce made up of people from different cultural backgrounds, age groups and genders is positive for businesses. Employers across the UK have work to do to ensure they protect and nurture this diversity both now and in the future.

Page 5Executive Summary.

The business case is simple: having a workforce that’s healthy, resilient, engaged and motivated helps businesses to thrive.

Introduction.At Bupa, we understand healthy employees are happier and more productive. We support organisations to help them safeguard, and promote, their employees’ health.

We developed the Workplace Wellbeing Census to help us better understand:

J how people really feel about their wellbeing J what has an impact on wellbeing in the workplaceJ what wellbeing support is offered to employees J how wellbeing issues are managedJ the extent and impact of bullying and discriminationJ what tools business leaders need to improve wellbeing

for their employees.

How was it undertaken?

This report sets out the findings of the Workplace Wellbeing Census, exploring issues of wellbeing in British workplaces, conducted by YouGov on behalf of Bupa. The analysis is based on replies from 4,007 employees across Britain.

Respondents were below senior management level and came from private sector businesses big and small across 12 industry sectors. They were asked 18 questions covering topics related to workplace wellbeing, via an online questionnaire. The survey is weighted to be representative of business size. Due to rounding, percentages may not always add up to 100%.

Definitions

For the purposes of the census, we gave the following definitions to make sure respondents fully understood each question.

Wellbeing: We asked people to think of wellbeing as their emotional outlook, as well as the physical, mental, social and environmental factors that influence it, both positively and negatively.

Health and wellbeing services: We asked people to think of any employee benefits or provisions put in place to help support their overall wellbeing, including but not limited to, health insurance, mental health support, confidential advice phone lines, financial support or loans, and access to gyms and fitness centres.

Discrimination: We defined discrimination as being treated unfairly because of who you are, or because you possess certain characteristics such as age, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability or religion.

Bullying: We defined bullying as offensive, abusive, malicious or intimidating behaviour or misuse of power that undermines, humiliates or belittles another person. Unlike discrimination, bullying is behaviour that is not related to the possession of any certain characteristic.

Page 6 Introduction.

Section one: The state of wellbeing in Britain.

How do people really feel?

Page 7

How do people feel about their wellbeing today?

We started by asking people to think about a typical working week and rate how good or poor they think their wellbeing is right now.

Nearly one quarter (23%) of the people we asked rated their overall wellbeing as poor. That’s a significant number and a worrying statistic amongst employees. Your people are the future of your business, so it’s imperative that you look after them.

23% rated their wellbeing as poor; a significant number and worrying statistic.

How good or poor would you say your overall wellbeing is?

76%

Net: Go od

23%

Net: Poor

1%

Don’t know

Fairly Poor 19%

Very Poor 4%

Fairly Good 61%

Very Good 15%

Thinking about a typical working week, in general, how good or poor would you say your overall wellbeing is? Weighted base: All respondents (4,007).

Our findings also show the older you get, the more likely you are to say your wellbeing is good. For example, while 73% of under 35s rated their wellbeing as good, that figure rose to 75% amongst people aged 35-44 and 45-44, and 82% amongst the over 55s. While it’s too simplistic to say wellbeing improves with age, it does seem that older people feel better about their wellbeing compared to younger people.

Older employees more likely to feel positive about their wellbeing

Net: Go od

Net: Poor

Don’t know

Under 35 73% 25% 1%

35-44 75% 24% 1%

45-54 75% 24% 1%

55+ 82% 18% 1%

Page 8 Section one.

Thinking about a typical working week, in general, how good or poor would you say your overall wellbeing is? Weighted base: All respondents: (4,007) – 55+ (1,023); 45-54 (967); 35-44 (870); under 35 (1,145).

What has an impact on wellbeing?

There’s more to wellbeing than good health. Almost every aspect of a person’s life can have an impact on the way they feel about their wellbeing.

So, we invited respondents to think about five factors that affect their overall wellbeing: home life, work life, physical health, mental health and financial stability.

Wellbeing: The feelgood factors

Net: Go od

Net: Poor

Don’t know

Your home life (ie your experiences outside of work) 86% 13% 1%

Your physical health 79% 20% 1%

Your mental health 74% 24% 1%

Your financial stability 74% 25% 1%

Your work life (ie your experiences at work) 71% 27% 1%

Thinking about your current wellbeing, how good or poor would you say each of the following are at the moment? Weighted base: All respondents (4,007).

1. Home life Home life was the factor most likely to be rated positively with 86% of respondents rating theirs as good, compared to 13% who rated theirs as poor.

Only 10% of over 55s rated their home life as poor, but across all age groups males were slightly more likely (14%) than females (12%) to cite their home life as poor.

2. Physical healthPhysical health came second with 79% of respondents rating theirs as good, compared to 20% who rated theirs as poor.

45-54s were most likely to raise physical health as a concern, with 23% rating it as poor, compared with just 17% of over 55s who were more likely to say their physical health was good (82%).

3. Mental healthMental health came third with 74% of respondents rating theirs as good, compared to 24% who rated theirs as poor.

Worryingly, nearly a third (32%) of under 35s said their mental health is poor, however this figure drops to 15% amongst the over 55s.

4. Financial stabilityFinancial stability came joint third with 74% of respondents rating theirs as good, compared to 24% who rated theirs as poor.

Unsurprisingly, over 55s were most positive about their financial stability (80%), but across all age groups, females were more likely to rate their financial stability as poor (28%), compared to males (22%).

5. Work lifeWork life was the lowest rated with just 71% saying theirs was good, compared to 27% who rated theirs as poor.

Less than one quarter (23%) of over 55s rated work life as poor, compared with almost one third (30%) of under 35s.

Of all respondents who told us their overall wellbeing was poor, nearly three quarters said their mental health and work life was poor too (both 72%).

Page 9Section one.

Does the industry you work in affect your wellbeing?

Nearly a quarter (23%) of all respondents rated their overall wellbeing as poor, and this was fairly consistent across different sectors. However, there was a significant difference amongst those who work in the Education sector, where only 16% of respondents said their wellbeing was poor. This figure rose to 31% of respondents who work in the Transport & Distribution sector.

76% of employees rated their overall wellbeing as good. How does your industry compare?

Industry sector differences in overall employee wellbeing

Net: Go od

Net: Poor

Don’t know

Page 10 Section one.

Manufacturing 79% 20% 1%

Construction 77% 22%

Retail 74% 25% 1%

Finance & Accounting 75% 25% 1%

Hospitality & Leisure 78% 21% 1%

Legal 74% 25% 1%

IT & Telecoms 80% 19% 1%

Media/Marketing/Advertising/PR & Sales 78% 21% 2%

Medical & Health Services 79% 19% 1%

Education 84% 16%

Transportation & Distribution 69% 31%

Other 72% 26% 2%

Thinking about a typical working week, in general, how good or poor would you say your overall wellbeing is? Weighted base: All respondents (4,007) – Main work industry: Manufacturing (445); Construction (389); Retail (447); Finance & Accounting (445); Hospitality & Leisure (314); Legal (287); IT & Telecoms (449); Media/Marketing/Advertising/PR & Sales (288); Medical & Health Services (144); Education (93); Transportation & Distribution (163); Other (517).

Summary: The state of wellbeing in Britain. It’s of concern that almost a quarter (23%) of people feel negative about their overall wellbeing. And of those who rated their overall wellbeing as poor, almost three quarters said their mental health and work life is poor too (both 72%). So, while more and more companies are realising employee wellbeing needs to be a key focus, business leaders must ensure it stays a priority.

27% of all respondents said their work life was poor, while only 13% said their home life was such. Why the imbalance? After all, we spend a third of our adult life at work.1 It’s true that Britons work some of the longest hours in Europe.2 And UK workers are more likely than their European counterparts to feel a bad day at the office has a negative impact on their personal life.3

The question is: what can be done about it?

Work life and mental health seem like the two most obvious areas for businesses to focus on. Younger people especially seem to be struggling. Almost a third (32%) of under 35s told us their mental health is generally poor and 30% felt their work life was poor.

In January 2019, the Government announced an extra £2.3bn4 would be spent on mental health care. Businesses need to take action too, to help protect the workforce of the future.

No company can solve all of these issues on their own. But for employees with wellbeing issues, they need to feel that their employer will support them.

1 https://www.who.int/occupational_health/publications/globstrategy/en/index2.html2 https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/02/greeks-work-longest-hours-in-europe/3 https://www.adp.co.uk/latest-press-releases/2018/11-06-uk-workers-struggling-to-maintain-work-life-balance/4 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-49867376

Nearly

1 in 4struggle with their overall wellbeing. Of those, almost three quarters said their mental health or work life are poor.

Older peopleare more positive about their wellbeing.

Almost a thirdof employees under 35 said their mental health is poor.

Page 11Section one.

Section two: Impacts on wellbeing in the workplace.

The positives, negatives and fixes business leaders can’t afford to ignore.

Page 12

What has a positive impact on wellbeing at work?

Half of all employees (50%) said their colleagues have a positive impact on their wellbeing at work. More practical concerns scored highly too. One third said their salary and having access to flexible working also have a positive impact (both 33%).

The positive impacts on wellbeing at work

Employee health and wellbeing services

10% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Page 13Section two.

10%My commute 23%

An inclusive work culture 25%My line manager 25%

My workload 29%Recognition for my work 30%

Job security 31%My salary 33%

Availability of flexible working 33%My colleagues 50%

Not applicable – I don't think anything in particular at work has had/is having a positive impact on

my wellbeing6%

Thinking about the last 12 months at work which, if any, of the following have had a positive impact on your wellbeing? Weighted base: All respondents (4,007).

What has a negative impact on wellbeing at work?

Just over a third of all employees (36%) said their workload has a negative impact on their wellbeing. Meanwhile, 26% cited their salary as cause for concern. And 25% reported that failing to get recognition for the job they do has a detrimental effect on their wellbeing.

Interestingly, almost one third (32%) of over 55s – the age group that feels best about their overall wellbeing – said they felt nothing at work was having a negative impact on their wellbeing.

The negative impacts on wellbeing at work

My colleagues 11%Lack of flexible working 14%

A non-inclusive work culture 14%Lack of employee health and wellbeing services

provided at work 16%

Lack of job security 16%My commute 18%

My line manager 19%Lack of recognition for my work 25%

My salary 26%

My workload 36%Not applicable – I don't think anything in particular

at work has had/is having a positive impact on my wellbeing

22%

Thinking about the last 12 months at work, which, if any, of the following have had a negative impact on your wellbeing? Weighted base: All respondents (4,007).

What changes would employees like to see to improve wellbeing?More than half of all employees (57%) said an improved salary and/or more financial rewards is the change they’d like to see that would have a positive impact on their wellbeing. However, we know salary can have both a positive (33%) and negative impact (26%), suggesting that it not only depends on an individual’s circumstances, but for employers who get it right, their employees could benefit in more ways than just financial.

35% of employees would like better recognition for their work.

But there were other factors that employees would also value. More than one third (35%) said they’d like more recognition for the work they do, and more than one quarter (27%) said they’d like a more manageable workload – something we know has a significant negative impact on wellbeing for more than a third (36%) of all employees.

Getting better support from their line manager and better access to flexible working also struck a chord with employees (both 23%).

Most desired workplace changes to positively impact wellbeing

Better relationship with my colleaguesThe employee health and

wellbeing services provided at work

My commute

An inclusive work culture

My line manager

My workload

Recognition for my work

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

13%A more inclusive work culture 14%

Better access to/provision of employee health and wellbeing services 18%

A shorter/easier commute 20%Better job security 22%

Better access to flexible working 23%Better support from my line manager 23%

A more manageable workload 27%More recognition for my work 35%

A higher salary/more financial rewards 57%Other 3%

Don’t know 2%Not applicable – I don't think any changes to my

current workplace would positively impact my wellbeing

13%

Which, if any, of the following changes at your workplace do you think would positively impact your wellbeing? Weighted base: All respondents (4,007).

Employees have said:

“ I would have appreciated a conversation about my wellbeing and flexible working. I could have done myjob from home, but they told me without question they would not allow me to work from home.”

Page 14 Section two.

Does the size of company you work for impact your wellbeing?

Positives For people working in medium and large-sized companies, colleagues (50% and 55%) and salary (35% and 38%) were most likely to have a positive impact on wellbeing, closely followed by recognition (32% and 30%). For employees of large businesses, access to flexible working was also likely to have a positive impact (36%).

However for people working in small businesses, access to flexible working (31%), workload (30%), recognition (29%) and job security (28%) were all chosen ahead of salary (25%).

36% of employees in large businesses think access to flexible working positively impacts their wellbeing.

NegativesThe top factors that have a negative impact on wellbeing were consistent across all company sizes – workload (36%), salary (26%) and lack of recognition (25%). However, the findings reveal people from large businesses are more likely to cite lack of recognition (28%) over salary (23%) as a factor that negatively affects their wellbeing at work.

Workload, salary and lack of recognition have a negative effect on employees in all company sizes.

ImprovementsWhen asked what changes they’d like to see that would have a positive impact on their wellbeing, all respondents, regardless of the size of the company they worked for, cited higher salary (57%), more recognition (35%) and a more manageable workload (27%).

Employees have said:

“ More flexibility with leave has a positive impact on my wellbeing in the workplace.”

Page 15Section two.

Are there any differences in wellbeing between sectors?

“ Colleagues have a positive impact on my wellbeing.”

Employees most likely to say it work in:J Education (62%)J Media/Marketing/Advertising/PR & Sales (58%)J Legal (57%)

Employees least likely to say it work in:J Construction (39%)

“ Salary has a positive impact on my wellbeing.”

Employees most likely to say it work in:J IT & Telecoms (41%)J Finance & Accounting (41%)J Legal (40%)

Employees least likely to say it work in:J Hospitality & Leisure

(19%)

“ Access to flexible working hours has a positive impact on my wellbeing.”

Employees most likely to say it work in:J IT & Telecoms (52%)J Finance & Accounting (45%)J Media/Marketing/Advertising/PR & Sales (45%)

Employees least likely to say it work in:J Retail (18%)

Page 16 Section two.

“ My workload has a negative impact on my wellbeing.”

Employees most likely to say it work in:J Legal (46%)J Media/Marketing/Advertising/PR & Sales (40%)J Finance & Accounting (40%)J Medical & Health Services (39%)

Employees least likely to say it work in:J Hospitality & Leisure

(30%)

“ My salary has a negative impact on my wellbeing.”

Employees most likely to say it work in:J Education (47%)J Hospitality & Leisure (34%)J Media/Marketing/Advertising/PR & Sales (30%)

Page 17Section two.

Employees least likely to say it work in:J IT & Telecoms (20%)

“ Lack of recognition for my work has a negative impact on my wellbeing.”

Employees most likely to say it work in:J Education (30%)J Media/Marketing/Advertising/PR & Sales (28%)

Employees least likely to say it work in:J Construction (21%)

Summary: Impacts on wellbeing in the workplace.The factor that has the most positive impact on your wellbeing at work is your relationship with the people you see, or sit next to, every day – your colleagues. 50% said this was the case, suggesting there’s value in fostering a sociable workplace where co-workers can support one another.

There were other significant factors that business leaders should pay attention to. Access to flexible working hours, a manageable workload and recognition for a job well done, were all picked out by employees as reasons to feel positive at work.

Having an honest conversation about workloads is key. 36% told us their workload is negatively affecting their wellbeing. Looking to review and rework the way your team manages its workload could be a useful exercise. But it’s vital you uncover the root cause of the problem before making any changes. Completing a mental health review to explore how things are in your team right now, is a good place to start.

Businesses should also consider equipping their teams with the tools to work flexibly.

Giving people the freedom to tailor their workload when they need to can pre-empt any negative impact on their wellbeing.

Every employee needs to feel their contribution is valued. Those that don’t can easily vote with their feet and seek out fresh job opportunities. Businesses that show they care about the wellbeing of everyone in their team will win out.

Find out how to do a mental health review of your workplace at bupa.co.uk/workplace-mental-health

Page 18 Section two.

1 in 2said colleagues have a positive impact on wellbeing at work.

35% said receiving more recognitionwould positively affect wellbeing.

36% said workload had negatively affected their wellbeing.

Section three: Access to health and wellbeing services at work.

We know how employees feel about their wellbeing at work, but which type of employers are meeting their needs in terms of empathy, support and understanding?

Page 19

Do employers take workplace wellbeing seriously?

We’ve seen that employees take their wellbeing seriously – but what about their employers? Workplace wellbeing should be near the top of every company’s list of priorities. Yet there’s still a gap between what people want from their employer, and what’s being provided.

Less than half (48%) of employees said they have access to some form of health and wellbeing services at work, however, for those that do have access, 67% valued having them and 79% said they would use them if they needed to.

43% of employees do not have access to health and wellbeing services at work.

Access to health and wellbeing services

Page 20 Section three.

48%

Yes

43%

No

9%

Don’t know

Does your employer currently have any health and wellbeing services available for its employees? Weighted base: All employees (4,007).

I value the health and wellbeing services offered by my employer

67%

Net: Agree

27%

Net: Disagree

6%

Don’t know

I would use the health and wellbeing services offered by my employer if I needed them

79%

16%

5%

Weighted base: All employees whose employer provides health/wellbeing services (1,930).

Does it differ by company size?

Employees in small businesses are far less likely to have access to health and wellbeing services at work. Just 16% of those working in small companies have access, compared with 44% of employees in medium-sized companies, and 73% of those working in large companies.

Access to health and wellbeing services by company size

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Small (less than 50 employees)

Yes

16%

78%

No

6%

Don’t know

Medium (50 to 249 employees)

44%

47%

9%

Large (250+ employees)

73%

17%

10%

Does your employer currently have any health and wellbeing services available for its employees? Weighted base: All respondents (4,007); Small (less than 50 employees) (1,440); Medium (50 to 249 employees) (600); Large (250+ employees) (1,967).

Small businesses are far less likely to have access to health and wellbeing services for their employees.

Page 21Section three.

How does access to wellbeing support differ between sectors?

There seems to be a divide between so-called ‘white collar’ and ‘blue collar’ sectors, when it comes to having access to health and wellbeing services. Over three quarters (76%) of employees in the Finance & Accounting sector have access to health and wellbeing services. Yet at the other end of the scale, only 26% of employees in Hospitality & Leisure have access to health and wellbeing services.

48% of all employees have access to health and wellbeing services at work. How does your sector compare?

Access to health and wellbeing services by industry sector

Yes

No

Page 22 Section three.

Don’t know

Construction 33% 60% 7%

Education 33% 54% 13%

Finance & Accounting 76% 20% 5%

Hospitality & Leisure 26% 63% 11%

IT & Telecoms 62% 29% 9%

Legal 45% 48% 6%

Manufacturing 50% 43% 7%

Media/Marketing/Advertising/PR & Sales 47% 46% 7%

Medical & Health Services 51% 39% 11%

Retail 45% 41% 14%

Transportation & Distribution 53% 36% 10%

Other 45% 47% 8%

Does your employer currently have any health and wellbeing services available for its employees? Weighted base: All respondents (4,007) – Main work industry: Manufacturing (431); Construction (417); Retail (443); Finance & Accounting (433); Hospitality & Leisure (327); Legal (283); IT & Telecoms (445); Media/Marketing/Advertising/PR & Sales (293); Medical & Health Services (137); Education (93); Transportation & Distribution (157); Other (517).

Summary: Access to health and wellbeing services at work.British employees are divided into the ‘haves’ and the ‘have-nots’ when it comes to health and wellbeing support at work. Only 48% have access to health and wellbeing services such as health insurance, mental health support, access to confidential phone lines, gyms and financial support. Yet, for those who have access, they clearly value them. So why aren’t more employers doing more to offer health and wellbeing support at work?

Whether you have access or not largely depends on the size of company you work for. Employees working for large companies are more likely to have access to support, compared to employees in smaller businesses.

Small to medium businesses (those with 2–249 employees) can take steps to improve the wellbeing of many people. After all, they employ 16.3 million5 – that’s 60% of all private sector employment – meaning as many as 11.2 million employees could have no access to support at work.

In smaller organisations, where teams may be compact, poor employee wellbeing can have far-reaching consequences. Losing a team member even for a few days because they’re unwell, can increase the pressure on other employees to pick up the slack.

There also appears to be a divide between what might traditionally be thought of as ‘white-collar’ and ‘blue-collar’ industries. In other words, those working in an office on a computer, versus those doing more physically demanding work.

Employers in Construction, Hospitality & Leisure sectors need to rethink their strategies because their employees are lacking in access to health and wellbeing services.

Investing in your people means investing in your business. This report shows nearly a quarter (23%) of workers say their overall wellbeing is poor. Failing to support people in your team whose wellbeing is suffering is a situation that has to change.

5 Business Population Estimates for UK and Regions 2018, Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy

Page 23Section three.

43% of employees do not have access to health and wellbeing services at work.

67% of employees with access to health and wellbeing services at work value them.

79% of employees with access to health and wellbeing services at work would use them if needed.

Page 24

Section four: Wellbeing issues in the workplace.

Do employees feel able to talk, do their employers listen and can they take action?

I would welcome help dealing with the issue

Colleagues have had positive experiences in similar situations

I think it would help the situation

My workplace has the procedures in place to deal with wellbeing issues

I feel comfortable talking about wellbeing issues

My manager has time to discuss wellbeing issues

I work in a supportive environment

Raising a wellbeing issue at work

If someone’s wellbeing is suffering, even if the issue isn’t work related, a sensible first step would be to tell their line manager. Yet only 41% of employees who had a wellbeing issue in the last three years raised it with their manager, compared to 50% who had an issue but didn’t raise it.

Of those that did raise a wellbeing issue with their manager, more than half (51%) said the experience was positive, whereas 47% said it was a negative experience.

41% of employees who had a wellbeing issue in the last three years raised it with their line manager.

Do employees feel comfortable talking about their wellbeing?

Just over half (51%) of employees told us they would feel comfortable talking to their line manager about their wellbeing, giving the following reasons:

J 71% said it was because they have a line manager who is approachable J 34% said they feel like they work in a supportive environmentJ 34% said it was because they have a line manager who has time to discuss wellbeing issues

However, 42% told us they wouldn’t feel comfortable talking to their line manager about their wellbeing, giving the following reasons:

J 50% said they would rather keep it to themselves/deal with it themselvesJ 48% said they don’t want to feel judged at workJ 38% said they don’t think it would help the situation

How do employees feel about raising a wellbeing issue?

Net: Comfortable

51%42%Net: Uncomfortable

4%

Don’t know

3%

Not applicable (do not have a line manager)

Fairly uncomfortable 25%

Very uncomfortable 17%

Fairly comfortable 36%

Very comfortable 15%

How comfortable or uncomfortable would you feel about talking to your current manager about your wellbeing? Weighted base: All respondents (4,007).

Employees have said:

“ I don’t feel my manager has been adequately trained to know how to deal with mental health issues.”

Page 25Section four.

Why employees feel comfortable raising a wellbeing issue

I would welcome help dealing with the issue

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

12%

Colleagues have had positive experiences in similar situations

15%

I think it would help the situation 16%

My workplace has the procedures in place to deal with wellbeing issues

20%

I feel comfortable talking about wellbeing issues 28%

My manager has time to discuss wellbeing issues 34%

I work in a supportive environment 34%

My manager is approachable 71%

Not applicable – there is no reason that I can’t talk to my manager about my wellbeing

Colleagues have had negative experiences in similar situations

My manager doesn’t have time to discuss wellbeing issues

I don’t feel comfortable talking to anyone about wellbeing issues

My manager isn’t approachable

I don’t feel my workplace has the procedures in place to deal with wellbeing issues

I don’t think it would help the situation

Don’t know

Other

I would rather keep it to myself/deal with it myself

I don’t want to be judged at work because of a wellbeing issue

Other 1%

Don’t know 4%

Not applicable – there is no reason that I can talk to my manager about my wellbeing

8%

Which, if any, of the following make you feel that you can talk to your current manager about your overall wellbeing? Weighted base: All employees who feel comfortable talking to their manager about their wellbeing (2,067).

Why employees feel uncomfortable raising a wellbeing issue

Colleagues have had negative experiences in similar situations

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

14%

My manager doesn’t have time to discuss wellbeing issues 25%

I don’t feel comfortable talking to anyone about wellbeing issues 27%

My manager isn’t approachable 29%

I don’t feel my workplace has the procedures in place to deal with wellbeing issues 33%

I don’t think it would help the situation 38%

I don’t want to be judged at work because of a wellbeing issue 48%

I would rather keep it to myself/deal with it myself 50%

Page 26 Section four.

Other 5%

Don’t know 1%

Not applicable – there is no reason that I can’t talk to my manager about my wellbeing 1%

Which, if any, of the following make you feel that you can’t talk to your current manager about your overall wellbeing? Weighted base: All employees who feel uncomfortable talking to their manager about their wellbeing (1,699).

Generational differences in opening up at work

It seems younger employees feel more comfortable opening up to their line manager. 37% of people under 35 who had a wellbeing issue in the past three years felt comfortable enough to raise it – a figure that drops to just 24% amongst the over 55s.

For employees who didn’t feel comfortable enough to open up, the most common answer given by all age groups was that they’d rather keep the issue to themselves.

Not wanting to be judged at work was the second most popular reason given amongst all age groups, except the over 55s. Feeling that raising the issue with a line manager wouldn’t help the situation was the second most popular reason given by this age group.

Top three reasons why employees wouldn’t feel comfortable raising a wellbeing issue, by age group

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

I don’t think it would help the situation

27%

Under 35

23%

35-44

24%

45-54

25%

55+

I don’t want to be judged at work because of a wellbeing issue

38%

32% 32%

23%

I would rather keep it to myself/deal with it myself

43%

37%39%

34%

Page 27Section four.

Which, if any, of the following make you feel that you can’t talk to your current manager about your overall wellbeing? Weighted base: All employees who feel uncomfortable talking to their manager about their wellbeing: (1,699) – 55+ (296); 45-54 (365); 35-44 (273); under 35 (417).

Younger people feel more comfortable opening up to their line manager.

Bullying and discriminationOver a quarter (28%) of employees have experienced some form of bullying and/or discrimination at work. The figure is even higher amongst employees from ethnic minorities (35%). More worrying still, 82% said the experience of being bullied and/or discriminated had a negative effect on their wellbeing.

Women in the workplace are most likely to suffer, as 34% of female employees have experienced some form of bullying and/or discrimination, compared to 22% of male employees. And women are almost four times more likely than men to have suffered a negative impact on their wellbeing as a result of gender discrimination (26% compared to 7%).

Gender discrimination seems to have had the largest impact on younger workers. Of those aged under 35 that had experienced gender discrimination in the workplace in the last three years, 28% said that it had negatively impacted their wellbeing – compared to just 6% amongst the over 55s.

By contrast, age discrimination seems to have had the most negative impact on older workers. Of those that had experienced age discrimination in the workplace in the last three years, 37% of employees over 55 said that it had negatively impacted their wellbeing, compared to 13% of those aged 45-54 and 5% of those aged 35-44.

0% 5% 10% 15%

28% have personally experienced bullying and/or discrimination at work in the last three years.

Page 28 Section four.

Employee experience of bullying and discrimination in the workplace

Gender reassignment discrimination 0%

Marriage and civil partnership discrimination 0%

Religious discrimination 1%

Disability discrimination 2%

Pregnancy and maternity discrimination 2%

Sexual orientation discrimination 2%

Race discrimination 3%

Gender discrimination 8%

Age discrimination 8%

Bullying 14%

Other 2%

Thinking about any places that you have worked at in the last three years which, if any, of the following have you personally experienced at work? Weighted base: All employees who have experienced at least one form of discrimination/bullying at work in the last three years (1,226).

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Negative impact on wellbeing as a result of bullying and discrimination at work

Gender reassignment discrimination 0%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

Marriage and civil partnership discrimination 1%Religious discrimination 2%

Race discrimination 5%Sexual orientation discrimination 5%

Pregnancy and maternity discrimination 6%Disability discrimination 6%

Gender discrimination 18%Age discrimination 19%

Bullying 44%Other 6%

Prefer not to say 3%Not applicable – this discrimination/bullying

has not had a negative e�ect on my wellbeing 15%

Which, if any, of the following have negatively affected your wellbeing at any point in the last three years? Weighted base: All employees who have experienced at least one form of discrimination/bullying at work in the last three years (1,106).

Bullying, age and gender discrimination are the top three most harmful on workplace wellbeing.

Top three negative impacts on wellbeing as a result of bullying and discrimination at work, by age group

Age discrimination

Under 35

19%

35-44

5%

45-5413%

Page 29Section four.

37%

55+

Bullying

56%

50%

44%

32%

Gender discrimination

28%

17% 15%

6%

Which, if any, of the following have negatively affected your wellbeing at any point in the last three years? Weighted base: All employees who have experienced bullying, age or gender discrimination at work in the last three years (887) – 55+ (216); 45-54 (217); 35-44 (169); under 35 (285).

Employees have said:

“ I am the only female in my workplace and wouldn’t want to appear weak.”

g

Top three negative impacts on wellbeing as a result of bullying and discrimination at work, by gender

Age discrimination0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

17%Female

21%

Male

Bullying

45%43%

Page 30 Section four.

Gender discrimination

26%

7%

Which, if any, of the following have negatively affected your wellbeing at any point in the last three years? Weighted base: All employees who have experienced bullying, age or gender discrimination at work in the last three years (888) – Male (346); Female (542).

Managing bullying and discrimination in the workplace

82% of employees who’ve experienced bullying and/or discrimination at work said that wellbeing suffered as a result. Worryingly, 47% of those that experienced bullyinand/or discrimination said that they got no support fromtheir employer.

Clearly there’s not a one-size-fits-all answer to the problem. In fact, 45% of respondents in this group could not say what kind of support they would like to have received. However, those that could offered a variety of solutions they would have liked to have seen, including:

J feel that someone is listeningJ change to internal proceduresJ improvements to workplace cultureJ more support from their line managerJ better training for managersJ investigations carried out and warnings given.

82% of employees who experienced bullying and/or discrimination said it had a negative impact on their wellbeing.

Summary: Wellbeing issues in the workplace.

Almost half of employees (42%) said they wouldn’t be comfortable sharing a wellbeing issue with their line manager. Everyone should feel able to open up at work without fear of being judged. Yet of those that gave an answer, 48% said it’s the fear of being judged that stops them talking about their wellbeing with their line manager.

71% of people said having an approachable manager was a reason they could feel comfortable enough to raise a wellbeing issue – so managers have an important role to play. But they need to have the time and the training to deal with wellbeing issues. It’s worrying that of those that had been negatively impacted by bullying and/or discrimination in the workplace, 47% said they had received no support at all from their employer.

Businesses should continue to foster a culture of openness and develop robust procedures to support people who are struggling. Employees need to have confidence in those procedures, so clear communication is key.

While progress has been made tackling bullying and discrimination in the workplace, many employees still feel a lack of support. They’d like to see stronger procedures introduced or see procedures already in place used more effectively. Often simply feeling like the matter will be taken seriously is a comfort in itself.

Employees have said:

“ No support from my employer, I had to take it to the appropriate organisations.”

42% of employees feel uncomfortable raising a wellbeing issue at work.

Page 31Section four.

Only

41% of employees who had a wellbeing issue in the past three years raised it with their manager.

Over a quarter of employees have suffered bullying and/or discrimination at work in the last three years.

Page 32 Further reading and support.

Further reading and support.

Next moves on wellbeing

Whether it’s dealing with the causes of wellbeing issues, offering support or simply a listening ear, it seems that British business has work to do.

Being healthy inside and out is something we can all put on the agenda. It doesn’t have to be difficult. And it can start right now.

For help implementing an effective workplace wellbeing strategy, in-depth guides that give you that extra bit of support when managing a team, and insights that take a deeper dive into issues that may be affecting your workplace, plus helpful ways to tackle them, head to bupa.co.uk/wellbeing

For more information on talking about mental health in the workplace, and dealing with disclosure, visit bupa.co.uk/workplace-mental-health

To find out what we’re doing at Bupa to open up the conversation around mental health, go to bupa.co.uk/open-up and listen to our leaders and employees share their stories.

Business in the Community

Business in the Community (BITC) is the oldest and largest business-led membership organisation dedicated to responsible business, offering expert advice, resources, events and networking.

For more information visit bitc.org.uk

Mental Health At Work

Whether you work with 10 people or 10,000, you can sign up to the Mental Health at Work Commitment to help your organisation create an environment where your employees can thrive.

The commitment is based on six standards, which are drawn from best practice and have been shown to make a difference. If every employer in the UK signed up and took action, we could have a meaningful impact on millions of employees.

Make your commitment today at mentalhealthatwork.org.uk/commitment

Methodology.

Data collection

Field work for the study was undertaken on behalf of Bupa by YouGov. All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 4,007 employees in private businesses. Field work was undertaken between 23 May to 5 June 2019. The survey was carried out online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of British business size. Respondents were middle management level and below, from companies of all sizes.

A total of 18 questions were asked, covering a range of workplace wellbeing issues, and respondents worked in over 12 industry sectors.

The survey also collected anonymised employee characteristics including gender, ethnicity, marital status, number of children, and employment data including job role and level. The employee’s company data also included annual turnover, company age, and region located.

For some questions, alongside the statistics we also asked for employee comments and opinions to ‘bring to life’ certain aspects of workplace wellbeing.

Due to rounding, percentages may not always add up to 100%.

Industry sectors

Sector Weighted base

Manufacturing 431

Construction 417

Retail 443

Finance & Accounting 433

Hospitality & Leisure 327

Legal 283

IT & Telecoms 445

Sector Weighted base

Media/Marketing/Advertising/PR & Sales

293

Medical & Health Services 137

Education 93

Transport & Distribution 157

Real Estate 31

Other 517

Page 33Methodology.

Organisation size

Throughout this report, when reporting differences by size of company, we have used the following definitions for small, medium and large companies.

Weighted base

Small (less than 50 employees)

1,440

Medium (50 to 249 employees)

600

Large (250+ employees) 1,967

Age groups To get a spread of opinions from both younger and more experienced employees, we have used four age breaks to capture sentiment throughout the workforce.

Weighted base

Under 35 1,126

35-44 865

45-54 966

55+ 1,048

Page 34 Methodology.

Limitations

For some questions, numbers of responses are too small to allow for statistically significant conclusions, and where this is the case we have excluded them from our report. For example, when examining the breakdown of responses to some questions, not all industry sectors provided enough data to be considered reliable. We have used samples of at least 50 respondents to be statistically dependable.

In common with market research generally, respondents from ethnic minorities are under-represented in this omnibus survey, with 159 people in this group completing the questionnaire, so we have restricted our analysis of responses from this employee group to just statistically reliable numbers.

Page 35

Bupa health insurance is provided by:

Bupa Insurance Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 3956433. Bupa Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Arranged and administered by:

Bupa Insurance Services Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Registered in England and Wales No. 3829851.

Registered office: 1 Angel Court, London EC2R 7HJ

© Bupa 2019

bupa.co.uk/census

SME/4775/NOV19 BINS 01825