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: 

Advertisement

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