But HR professionals warned not to “rest on their laurels”
News revealing Britons are ‘happier’ does not mean HR professionals can afford to rest on their laurels, according to workplace experts.
Data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) earlier this week showed that thanks to events such as the Olympics and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, the number of people who rate their satisfaction with life as 7 out of 10 or better has shown a year-on-year increase from 75.9 per cent to 77 per cent.
The ONS admitted that the reasons for the upturn are “not fully understood” and, warned health specialist Chris Etheridge, while this and other recent announcements that suggest the economy is turning a corner are good news, the workplace is still a major source of stress.
“People are working longer, coming home tired, are unable to sleep, and then have to do it all again the next day,” he said. “Generally, people are feeling more confident about their finances and the economy as a whole, but if anything, I’m not seeing any reduction in the amount of stress people are under in the workplace, so I would take the happiness findings with a pinch of salt.”
Yves Duhaldeborde, director of employee surveys at Towers Watson, added that any perceived improvements in happiness/confidence mean HR professionals need to work harder to retain good people:
“Several years of low wage rises and being asked to do ‘more for less’ will simply encourage employees to look for greener pastures,” he said. “A clearer explanation of what employees can expect in return for their effort – the ‘employee deal’ – will be needed. A culture that enables feedback from employees to managers and executives will be essential in building loyalty among employees as the job market improves.”
Calls for HR departments not to ignore workplace stress and unhappiness come as a separate study by Canada Life revealed more employees blame stress at work for weight gain. The research found that almost one in 10 (9 per cent) employees attribute weight gain to the stress of their job, up from 6 per cent in 2012. More than a third (36 per cent) said work-related stress had caused them to become physically unwell in the past year.
“Employers who are looking for a healthy, productive and happy workforce should be sure to implement and communicate initiatives that encourage a healthier lifestyle," said Paul Avis, marketing director for Canada Life Group Insurance. "Otherwise they risk facing the inevitable fallout from an unhealthy, overweight and stressed out workforce."