Almost eight out of 10 employees say high levels of stress would cause them to leave their current job, according to new research.
Unum’s latest survey shows that stress is a major factor when it comes to retention of employees — ranked just 1 per cent below salary when it comes to influencing decisions about leaving an employment post.
However, it appears many employers are not taking action to reduce or manage stress in the workplace — with the survey finding only a minority (49 per cent) of respondents saying their employer had the necessary practices and services in place to effectively support their mental health.
This survey, carried out by WPI Economics, comes against a backdrop of recruitment problems and productivity issues in the workplace, with an estimated 17.1 million days of sickness absence to work-related stress, depression and anxiety in 2023.
However more than one in two (57 per cent) of respondents said the implementation of health and wellbeing schemes would positively influence their decision to remain with their current employer.
Unum says high-quality mental health support services can help employees manage stress, helping employers with retention and recruitment issues, as well as reducing the number of working days lost to work-related mental ill health.
Unum COO Liz Walker says: “Many employers have already recognised the need to support their staff as part of their wellbeing strategies. Indeed, data from Help@hand the health and wellbeing app from Unum, shows that anxiety, depression and stress accounted for 76 per cent of mental health appointments last year alone.
“It’s concerning to find that without proper prevention and intervention in place, nearly 80 per cent of the UK’s 30.4 million employees say workplace stress would influence them to seek another job. To then discover that work-related stress, depression and anxiety together account for almost half of work-related sickness absence is far worse.
“There’s still work to do for some employers, including introducing high-quality proactive measures to address and support workplace stress and overall mental health. By creating positive, supportive and inclusive working environments, employers can not only improve employee retention but also help foster a healthier, more engaged and productive workforce.”
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