Detailed findings – factors affecting wellbeing
We asked respondents to identify the top five workplace factors that negatively affected their wellbeing.
Most significant factor
53%
highlighted they had experienced excessive demands
for example high workload and the requirement to work long hours
Other factors
48%
highlighted they did not feel recognised or valued
44%
highlighted low pay as a contributing factor to their poor wellbeing
Our recent benchmarking research into pay confirms the real term decrease in pay in relation to inflation, and how sector pay is out of step with other comparable sectors.
42%
highlighted a problematic organisational culture affecting their wellbeing
for example management behaviours
39%
highlighted lack of opportunities for progression
33%
highlighted a lack of support and understanding within the organisation
specifically around current cost-of-living challenges
33%
highlighted poor communication and engagement affecting their wellbeing
31%
highlighted a lack of role clarity affecting their wellbeing
Medium factors
27%
highlighted lack of opportunities for professional development and a lack of a sense of achievement
26%
highlighted the pace and scale of change
25%
highlighted a lack of sense of belonging and participation
24%
highlighted a lack of respect and positive treatment, contributing to problematic organisational culture
18%
highlighted a lack of job security
18%
highlighted a lack of autonomy and ability to control their work
18%
highlighted a lack of financial security as well as job insecurity
17%
highlighted problematic relationships with senior managers
Lower factors
15%
highlighted problematic team or department cultures
13%
highlighted problematic relationships with line managers
12%
highlighted poor terms, conditions and benefits of employment
8%
highlighted problematic relationships with co-workers
7%
highlighted problematic relationships within their team
4%
highlighted problematic relationships with their direct reports
Problematic relationships and bullying
We asked respondents to reflect on whether they would class a problematic relationship as a bullying relationship, where bullying is defined by Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS) as:
offensive, intimidating, malicious or insulting behaviour, an abuse or misuse of power through means that undermine, humiliate, denigrate, or injure the recipient
This provided an opportunity to take a snapshot to further our previous research into bullying in the sector, Sticks and Stones.
- 21% of respondents felt their wellbeing was affected by a problematic relationship with a co-worker, their team or their line manager
- Of that 21%, 16% felt that the relationship could be described as bullying
- Protected characteristics most often described as key factors in the bullying were gender, disability, age and ethnicity