Utility employees are most likely to work through mental illness

  Posted by: electime      21st March 2023

A new study finds 8 in 10 utility employees want their company to be more proactive in boosting health and wellbeing habits.

New data has revealed utility employees are the most likely to work through mental illness, with almost a third (31 per cent) having done so in the last year.

Increasing pressures such as the cost of living crisis, combined with gaps in employer support, are causing an increase in mental and physical health issues for manufacturing employees. A third (33 per cent) have experienced increased anxiety over the last year, with 26 per cent citing excessive stress.

The UK-wide Health, wellbeing & habits study asked over 1,000 employees for insights into their health status over the last year. The aim was to discover how changing working patterns are affecting employees’ health and wellbeing, and how UK companies can better support their workforce in this area.

The study also found that utility employees are picking up quick fix habits to cope which are negatively impacting their physical and mental health. 36 per cent are eating more unhealthy food and drinking alcohol more frequently over the last 12 months.

What can utility companies do?

A staggering 82 per cent of utility employees want their company to be more proactive in boosting employee health, wellbeing and healthy habits.

• 36 per cent of employees think training managers to provide better support is the answer
• 23 per cent of workers believe in promoting the use of sick leave when people are struggling with physical or mental health
• 24 per cent of employees want measures in place to prevent employees sitting for long periods of time

Utility companies also benefit when contributing to their employees’ health and wellbeing: it leaves 44 per cent feeling more productive at work. 41 per cent say they’re less likely to seek job opportunities elsewhere and a third (31 per cent)  actively seek learning and training opportunities to further themselves.

Richard Holmes, director of wellbeing at Westfield Health, says:

“Burnout is a state of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. Pressure at work is usually the main culprit and when budgets are tight and teams are small, people often find themselves with multiple roles and heavy workloads, piling on the stress.

Claire Brown, qualified life and career coach, adds:

“Employees must be encouraged to prioritise their health and wellbeing above productivity by taking regular breaks from the screen and getting fresh air, where possible. Providing alternative and innovative ways for connection and communication between team members is also really valuable.

“By adopting a flexible attitude and approach to how and when work is completed, companies can alleviate some of the pressure. As always, communication is key. It’s important for employers to be fair and realistic about what is possible and provide practical support to help team members manage their workloads.”