Providing Support to the 'Britain's Healthiest Workplace' Competition

Britain's Healthiest Company (logo)

Overview

Britain’s Healthiest Workplace (previously Britain’s Healthiest Company) is the flagship UK competition hosted by Vitality. Vitality gives awards to organisations in different size categories for the healthiest employees and work environment.

Since the initiative‘s inception in 2013, the study has helped nearly 460 organisations and 150,000 individual employees to gain a greater understanding of their personal health and wellbeing.

The competition's surveys, managed by RAND Europe, have provided numerous key findings:

  • The 2019 survey found that employees are losing on average 38 productive days per employee, owing to absence or presenteeism. This adds to an upward trend observed since 2014, when employees were losing 23 days of productive time.
  • The 2018 survey showed that in organisations where an employer had proposed a specific health and wellbeing intervention, an average of only 27% of respondents were aware of the offering.
  • The 2017 survey found that more than half of respondents in the 26-40 age category had at least some financial concerns, making them much more likely to be obese, suffer from depression, or have work-related stress.
  • The 2016 survey indicated that employee stress and obesity were both common problems, but workplace health programmes focused more on nutrition and exercise than mental wellbeing.
  • The 2015 survey indicated that there is a significant relationship between productivity loss and bullying, unrealistic time pressures and a lesser degree of job autonomy. The average productivity loss across all participating organisations — 8.45% — did not change from 2014.
  • The 2014 survey indicated nearly two thirds of respondents had at least two bad lifestyle habits that put them at serious risk of future ill health.

Background

There is increasing acceptance and evidence that health and well-being at work can have profound impacts on individuals, organisations and societies. Vitality is concerned to increase awareness of this, given their position as one of the main providers of evidence-based diagnostics of employee wellness in the UK. A central component of this strategy is ‘Britain’s Healthiest Workplace’ (BHW), conducted in partnership with the Financial Times and Mercer.

BHW gives awards to organisations in different size categories for the healthiest employees and work environment. The competition is run on the basis of organisation and employee surveys. The 2018 employee survey included 26,471 employees from 128 organisations, including the British Army and notable companies from the rail sector, such as Network Rail and Siemens Rail Automation.

The winners of the BHW competition are announced during annual awards ceremonies.

For information about the competition, and to register your workplace, visit healthiestworkplace.co.uk.

Goals

RAND Europe’s work on BHW includes designing and running the surveys, analysing results, and providing customised reports to participating organisations. The central aims of BHW are to raise awareness and gain a better understanding of how organisations can engage with the wellness of their employees. More specifically, BHW’s aims are:

  • To better understand how the workplace can be used to change employee lifestyle behaviour.
  • To grow the number of organisations that engage with the wellness of their employees.
  • To assess the impact of lifestyles and chronic diseases on productivity.

Findings

2019

Productivity and engagement

  • Overall, the results from the survey suggest that employees lose on average 14.6% of their working hours due to absence (1.1%), and presenteeism* (13.4%). This represents an average loss of 38 productive days per employee. Such an increase adds to an upward trend observed since 2014, when employees were losing on average 23 days of productive time, and marks a 6.7% increase from the 2018 results which were 35.6 days.
  • Productivity loss is higher among lower income workers, and younger workers. It is also higher among those under precarious working conditions, such as those employed through a temporary employment agency.
  • 18.2% of employees reported low work engagement at the workplace, while only 16.5% showed high work engagement. This is a net improvement compared to last year (21.5% low engaged / 12.7% high engaged).

* Note: Presenteeism may be defined as being present at work but being limited in some aspects of job performance by a health problem and thus experiencing decreased productivity and below-normal work quality. This is different to absence, which is generally defined as not showing up for work.

Mental health

  • Low income employees are the most at risk for mental health issues, with 16.4% of those earning £10,000 to £19,999 indicating they suffer from depression. This is the same for 10.4% of the £20,000 to £29,999 income category.
  • 56.4% of surveyed employees suffer from at least one dimension of work-related stress. In addition, 35.1% of employees reported having felt unwell as a consequence of this work-related stress.
  • Financial concerns are very common, with 51.1% of employees reporting at least some concerns. This figure increases among lower income groups.
  • Employees with financial concerns are losing more than twice as much productivity than those without.
  • Employees with high financial concerns report doing less physical activity, sleeping less hours per night and eating less healthy diets. They also are more likely to smoke, to be obese, and to suffer from depression.

Physical health and lifestyle

  • More than half of employees reported that they suffer from two or more musculoskeletal conditions, and 39.4% have at least one chronic condition. This figure increases in the higher age categories.
  • 35.1% of employees say they sleep less than seven hours per night, and approximately 42% have problems with the quality of their sleep. Younger employees tend to sleep more hours per night, but are more likely to report problems with the quality of their sleep.
  • Younger employees are less likely to eat the recommended five fruits and vegetables per day, and are more likely to binge drink** or to smoke.

** Note: Binge drinking is defined as the absorption of six alcohol units (or more) in one occasion.

Women in the workplace

  • Women reported a healthier diet, less alcohol drinking and less smoking than men. However, they are more likely to be physically inactive.
  • Women are more likely to suffer from depression. There is also a larger share of them reporting chronic conditions.
  • Overall, women are losing more productive time (15.5%) than men (13.3%). However, they are more likely to demonstrate high engagement in their work, and less likely to show low engagement.

Interventions offered by organisations

  • On average, small and very small organisations offer around 25 health interventions to their employees. For medium and large organisations, this increases to an average of 30 interventions.
  • Less than 4% of participating organisations did not offer any of the 80 workplace health interventions included in the survey. None of the medium and large organisations were in this case.
  • While awareness of these interventions remains low among employees (28%), many tend to report positively on the impact of these interventions on their health when they use them.
  • Some of the most commonly offered health interventions are employee assistance programmes, provision of health and wellbeing information and access to fresh drinking water.

2018

Productivity and engagement

  • The results indicated that UK employees lost 13.6% of their working hours due to absence (1.2%), and presenteeism* (12.5%). This figure translates into an average loss of 35.6 days of productive time per employee per year, which would equate to employees only starting to be productive on February 19th of the calendar year. Such a figure is a subject of concern as the situation deteriorates every year, for example the first day of productivity in 2014 was February 1st. (Neville Koopowitz, Vitality UK CEO; BHW Award ceremony 2018, 16th of January 2019).
  • Productivity increases with age and income.
  • 21.5% of the respondents showed low work engagement, while only 12.7% showed high work engagement.

* Note: Presenteeism may be defined as being present at work but being limited in some aspects of job performance by a health problem and thus experiencing decreased productivity and below-normal work quality. This is different to absence, which is generally defined as not showing up for work.

Mental health

  • Young respondents were particularly at risk for mental health issues, with 12.5% of those in the 21-25 age category indicating they suffer from depression. This figure increased to 17.2% for the 18-20 age category.
  • 34% of respondents indicated they have felt unwell because of work related stress. This was more common among lower income categories.
  • More than half of respondents in the 18-40 age category had at least some financial concerns.
  • Employees with increased financial concerns were shown to be losing more than twice as much productivity than those without any financial concern.
  • Employees with increased financial concerns were much more likely to smoke, to be obese, to suffer from hypertension or cholesterol or to report sleeping issues than the average respondent.

Physical health and lifestyle

  • Nearly half of respondents in the 51-60 age category had one or more chronic conditions, principally asthma, severe allergies, arthritis or rheumatism.
  • 37.2% of respondents said they sleep less than seven hours per night, and approximately 45% had problems with the quality of their sleep.
  • Younger respondents were less likely to eat the recommended five fruits and vegetables per day and were more likely to binge drink** or to smoke.

** Note: Binge drinking is defined as the absorption of six alcohol units (or more) in one occasion.

Women in the workplace

  • Despite better overall health indicators - i.e being less likely to suffer from hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol; less likely to smoke or drink; and more likely to sleep more than the recommended seven hours per night - women lost on average more working hours (15.1%) than men (12.1%).
  • Around 20% of mothers reported harassment behaviours or negative comments from their colleagues or managers during their pregnancy or upon return from maternity leave. (Dame Carol Black, BHW Award Ceremony 2018, 16th of January 2019).
  • 28% of women in the 60-64 age category suffer from depression, compared to 17% of men. (Dame Carol Black, BHW Award Ceremony 2018, 16th of January 2019).

Interventions offered by organisations

  • On average, each organisation offered more than 20 workplace health interventions such as fresh fruit and vegetables in the workplace or clinical screening. For medium and large organisations, this increased to on average 35 interventions.
  • Less than 4% of participating organisations did not offer any of the 75 workplace health interventions included in the survey.
  • 74% of respondents who participated in any given intervention felt positive effects on their health, but only 27% on average were aware of the interventions on offer.

2017

Productivity and engagement

  • The results indicate UK employees lost 11.7% of their working hours due to absence (0.8%) and presenteeism* (10.9%). This is significantly lower than in the other surveyed countries.
  • The productivity loss is highest in the wholesale and retail trade sector and in the education sector. It also decreases with age and income, and varied by job categories.
  • 17% of the respondents show low work engagement and only 11% show high work engagement.
  • Young respondents are generally less engaged at work and feel fatigue at work.
  • Employees who are able to work flexible hours and/or work from home lose less working hours due to absence and presenteeism, do more physical activity and feel significantly less fatigue than those who don’t.

* Note: Presenteeism may be defined as being present at work but being limited in some aspects of job performance by a health problem and thus experiencing decreased productivity and below-normal work quality. This is different to absence, which is generally defined as not showing up for work.

Mental health

  • Particularly young respondents are at risk for mental health, with 8.5% of those in the 21-25 age category indicating they suffer from depression.
  • More than half of respondents in the 26-40 age category have at least some financial concerns.
  • Employees with a lot of financial concerns are twice as likely to be obese and seven times more likely to suffer from depression than those without any financial concerns.
  • 72% of employees with a lot of financial concerns suffer from work-related stress, compared to the survey average of 54%.

Physical health and lifestyle

  • Nearly half of respondents in the 51-60 age category have one or more chronic conditions, principally asthma, severe allergies, arthritis or rheumatism.
  • 29% of the respondents sleep less than 7 hours per night, and approximately 40% have problems with the quality of their sleep.
  • Respondents who sleep less than 6 hours per night lose more than twice as many working hours due to absence and presenteeism than those who sleep more than 7 hours.
  • Employees with sleep quality difficulties do less physical activity, drink more alcohol, are more likely to be smokers, show higher work-related stress, and are five times more likely to suffer from depression than those without any sleep difficulties.

Interventions offered by organisations

  • On average, each organisation offers more than 20 workplace health interventions such as fresh fruit and vegetables in the workplace or clinical screening.
  • Approximately 5% of participating organisations do not offer any of the 75 workplace health interventions included in the survey.
  • Majority of respondents who participated in any given intervention felt positive effects on their health, but only 18% on average are aware of the interventions on offer.

2016

  • 169 employers of varying sizes and sectors across the UK took part in the 2016 survey, with 34,000 of their employees providing responses.
  • Health conditions among respondents mirror wider trends across the UK, with a clear north-south divide: Yorkshire and the Humber has the highest workplace stress levels, while the North East reports the largest proportion of obese employees.
  • The public sector has the biggest percentage of employees suffering signs of stress, depression and financial worries. It also has the highest estimated loss of productivity from absences and presenteeism.
  • Health programmes that focus on nutrition are the most widely offered by employers, principally through the provision of fresh drinking water and facilities to store and prepare healthy food.
  • Efforts to encourage physical activity, including providing space for bicycle storage and showers so that staff can cycle to work, are also widespread.
  • Initiatives such as stress management to support mental wellbeing, and measures designed to tackle the heavy toll of smoking and alcohol, are less common.
  • For all health programmes, there is a significant gap between their provision and the awareness, uptake and belief by staff that the initiatives are useful.
  • Employees with flexible hours and the ability to work from home report lower absences and greater job satisfaction, and consider themselves to be in better physical and mental health.
  • Those with inflexible hours, who are office-based and who face long commutes, are less productive and in poorer health.
  • There is a strong correlation between participation in workplace programmes and improved health and productivity.
  • Less presenteeism is reported among staff involved in initiatives to lose weight, exercise more and sleep an optimal seven to eight hours a night.
  • Participation increases when employers allow staff to take part in health promotion programmes during working hours. Organisations whose senior management invest in workplace health and measure the returns see better results.
  • 73 per cent of employees surveyed have at least one form of work-related stress; 41 per cent have two or more; 21 per cent have three or more.
  • Half of employees surveyed said stress was due to unrealistic time pressure and demands; some 30 per cent said not being consulted about change in the workplace increased stress, while 28 per cent said it was a lack of control over the work that they do.
  • In addition, 5 per cent of employees said they were bullied on a frequent basis and 18 per cent that they had been bullied at some point in the previous 6 months.
  • Only 30.5 per cent of staff at large companies offering discounted gym membership were aware of the offer. Of those, 31.4 per cent took it up.
  • In large companies, healthy options in staff canteens, bicycle purchase schemes and clinical screening services all had awareness rates of less than 50 per cent.

2015

  • In 2015 the average productivity loss (absenteeism and presenteeism) was found to be 8.45% of overall working hours.
  • Productivity loss was largely the same between 2014 and 2015. However, companies that participated year on year show an increase in work initiatives.
  • There is a significant relationship between productivity loss and bullying, unrealistic time pressures and a lesser degree of job autonomy.
  • The team found no statistically significant relationship between productivity and smoking or alcohol consumption. However, this does not necessarily mean these have no effect and it is expected that these lifestyle factors will hit productivity in the long-run as they are related to serious long-term health conditions.
  • Financial concerns are more prevalent among men, more likely among young and middle aged individuals, more likely among employees on non-permanent contracts and positively correlated with number of children.
  • An employee with financial concerns has on average a 2.5% point higher work impairment share compared to an employee with no self-reported financial concerns.
  • An employee with less than 5 hours sleep has on average a 7.4% higher work impairment share compared to an employee with at least 8 hours of sleep.
  • Compared to 2013, 79% of repeat employees saw an improvement in their Healthiest Company score.
  • Since 2013, there was a 240% increase in participants responding.
  • Healthy employees have an equivalent of 30 additional days of productive time each year.
  • 76% of those surveyed reported that they engaged in at least two physical exercise sessions per week.
  • Approximately 32% of those surveyed had 3 or more health risk factors.
  • Almost half of respondents reported not eating five fruit and veg per day.
  • 87% of those surveyed reported worrying about work-related stress.
  • 77% of companies surveyed reported using work initiatives, such as distributing cards and letters, to encourage healthy lifestyles among staff.

2014

  • Sick leave and working while unwell costs organisations, on average, 7.78% of their yearly wage bill. Using ONS statistics, this translates into an estimated total cost of lost productivity to the UK economy of over £58 billion per year.
  • Nearly two thirds (62%) of respondents reported at least two bad lifestyle habits that put them at serious risk of future ill health.
  • 87% of British workers have a Vitality Age older than their actual age, with an average difference of nearly four years older. (Vitality Age is a health-risk-adjusted age calculated using Vitality's unique algorithm.) Nearly one in seven people (13%) have a Vitality Age more than eight years older than their actual age.
  • Employees tend to be overly-optimistic about their current state of health; one third (33%) of employees have three or more risk factors but, of these employees, over half (58%) believe they are in “good” or “very good” health—meaning they are less likely to have the motivation to change bad habits.
  • About one in five employees (19%) suffer from at least one lifestyle-related chronic condition such as heart disease, diabetes or high blood pressure.
  • 52% of respondents don’t eat healthily enough or don’t have a balanced diet; 67% of these respondents have no motivation to change their eating habits.
  • Nearly two in five (39%) are impacting or have impacted their health through smoking; three in five smokers (60%) have no intention of stopping any time soon.
  • Over a third (36%) are not exercising enough; 33% of these do not want to exercise more.
  • One in five (20%) are overweight or obese with an unhealthy body composition based on BMI (body mass index); 16% of these respondents do not want to lose weight.
  • Nearly one in five (19%) drink too much alcohol; 93% of these have no motivation to change their drinking habits.

Publication

Awards Supplements

The Financial Times printed the 2016, 2017, and 2018 supplements announcing the competition results and findings. The Sunday Telegraph printed supplements in 2014 and 2015. The full PDFs of these supplements are linked in each year's findings tab.

Related Research and Commentary