| Achieving a healthy working environment is becoming an increasing priority for today’s employers as they try to counter workplace issues such as employee stress, according to a new survey by Investors in People.
Nearly two fifths of those questioned (38 per cent) said that having a healthy workplace had become more of a priority than a year ago, with 80 per cent viewing the issue as a high or very priority over the next twelve months. The need to tackle stress is clearly a motivating factor - nearly a third (32 per cent) of respondents felt that employee stress is an issue for their organisation.
Despite this, respondents were generally confident in their own organisations’ practices. A comprehensive 95 per cent of those questioned claimed that their workplace was either fairly or very healthy. However, there was still a feeling that more could be done, with 29 per cent of respondents feeling that their organisation should do more to promote healthy working to employees.
The survey, conducted by Investors in People amongst organisations working with the Standard, also identified the dangers for those that do not succeed in creating a healthy working environment. Absenteeism was most frequently cited by managers as the most likely symptom of an unhealthy organisation, followed by low staff morale and high turnover of staff. Well-defined management practices were seen as the most important component needed to achieve a healthy organisation, while compliance with health and safety legislation was seen as the least important factor.
Commenting on the survey, Ruth Spellman, Chief Executive of Investors in People UK said:
“Although health can be a difficult concept to quantify, it is encouraging to see that the vast majority of employers realise and understand the benefits of a healthy organisation - benefits which include enhanced employee morale, reduced absenteeism and ultimately improved productivity.
“As our survey identifies, managers clearly realise that healthy working is much more than simply a case of complying with health and safety legislation. However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach and employers need to take a holistic view of the organisation’s needs and identify where improvements can be made. This will not only help them to safeguard the mental and physical health of their people, but also help protect the lifeblood of their organisation.”
Investors in People is currently working on a project to encourage organisations to tackle the health and wellbeing of their workforce with a more focussed and in-depth approach. It is planned that indicators relating to an organisation’s health and wellbeing will be included in the Investors in People Standard and Profile when they are next revised.
Notes to editors
The survey took place in September 2005 via a questionnaire of approximately 1000 committed and recognised organisations who work with the Investors in People Standard.
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