Is the UK workforce starting to feel the ill affects of #WFH?

The Institute for Employment Studies (IES) has just released interim findings from its first COVID-19 homeworker well-being study, looking at how working from home for an extended period is affecting the UK workforce. 

And the results are pretty worrying.

With findings captured during the first two weeks of the ‘lockdown’, IES is saying its initial findings depict “a worrying snapshot of the declining mental and physical health of many homeworkers”.

These include what it claims has been a significant increase in musculoskeletal complaints: more than half of the survey respondents reported new aches and pains, especially in the neck (58%), shoulder (56%) and back (55%), compared to their normal physical condition.

For all of the publicity around Joe Wicks daily online PE sessions, it also says diet and exercise are on the wane with one fifth (20%) of respondents admitting to an increase in alcohol consumption, while a third (33% are eating a less healthy diet, and over half (60%) acknowledging that they are exercising less. 

Poor sleep and increased risk of exhaustion are also cause for concern, the Institute adds, noting that the majority of respondents reported a loss of sleep due to worry (64%); and corresponding increased symptoms of fatigue (60%), possibly as a consequence of nearly half (48%) reporting working patterns that include long and irregular hours. 

The mental health of survey respondents depicts a workforce with a lot on its mind. Half of all respondents (50%) reported not being happy with their current work-life balance; a third (33%) frequently feel isolated; over a fifth (21%) are worried about job security, while just under half (41%) harbour health concerns for family members.

Commenting on the findings, survey architect and IES Head of HR Research Development, Stephen Bevan notes that, “These interim findings paint a picture of a new home-working workforce that faces significant physical and mental wellbeing challenges.  

“Employers need to recognise they are still responsible for the wellbeing of their staff, even when working from home, and there are a number of steps they can take to improve employee well-being.”

Based on its findings, IES recommends that employers:

• Make sure the home ‘office’ set-up is safe and ergonomic and that employees are mobile and take exercise
• Provide mental health support via informal messaging groups, virtual coffee mornings, access to Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) and regular contact with management and colleagues.
• Focus on ‘high risk’ groups by identifying employees with financial concerns, eldercare, those struggling to adjust, those prone to feelings of isolation and those at risk of domestic abuse.
• Rethink performance targets and monitoring, involve employees in decisions about reorganising work and reallocating tasks and priorities.

The interim findings have been drawn from the initial 500 respondents to the survey. The IES Working at Home Wellbeing Survey remains open for the duration of April. IES researchers will frequently monitor the results to track changes in working patterns. 

The Institute for Employment Studies is a leading independent, not-for-profit centre for research and evidence-based consultancy on employment, the labour market and HR policy and practice. The organisation tweets from @EmploymtStudies