As our lifeblood is wellbeing, we were shocked and saddened to read that the UK is ranked one of the lowest amongst developed Western Countries in terms of wellbeing.

Worrying picture for the UK

According to the latest 2018 Cigna 360° Wellbeing Survey (which surveyed 15,000 people across 23 countries), 8 out of 10 people in the UK are experiencing stress, with 1 in 5 saying they have unmanageable stress.

More than a quarter of people suffering from stress in the UK blamed their work as the reason. This meant that the UK ranks fifth worst for unmanageable stress in the world behind only the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Korea.

The UK was also behind other nations in its development of workplace wellbeing programmes. According to the survey only 9% of employees say that they have a workplace wellbeing programme and that they use it, compared to 22% of employees globally.

So what does this mean?

This survey paints a worrying picture for the UK, especially as the evidence points to workplace wellbeing becoming a key factor in job seekers choosing an employer.Over 53% of millennials would choose an employer who has a workplace wellbeing programme over one that does not).

So if companies want to attract and retain the best talent, looking at ways to implement wellbeing programmes is crucial. But starting an effective wellbeing programme requires a lot of thought and input to ensure that it is not just initiatives that you implement, but that there is a strategy that aligns to the business goals that also fulfils the needs of your employees.

Where to start?

According to legislation and the HSE’s Stress Management Standards, conducting a Wellbeing Insights Audit is a suitable and sufficient method of understanding and gaining focus on key areas of wellbeing and stress in your organisation.

The International Wellbeing Insights Audit will identify the nature, location and extent of stress problems in your organisation and help employers focus resource on where they are most needed. To find out more about the audit download our FREE Whitepaper now.

Another good starting place is to take advantage of our 30 minute free consultation call. We are always open to discussing how we can improve employee wellbeing and have lots of practical advice that we can give on how to go about establishing a wellbeing strategy. We would love to hear from you so contact us today.