Workers Are Prioritizing Their Well Being at Work
Workers Are Prioritizing Their Well-Being at Work
Workers believe that employers can take action to address overall well-being. They most often cited paying employees fairly (66%), increasing traditional benefit offerings (55%), and allowing flexibility (54%). Workers ages 50–64 are more likely than those age 65-plus to say employers should increase traditional benefit offerings (57% vs. 46%) and allow more flexibility (56% vs. 44%). Nevertheless, most workers age 50-plus (70%) agree that their current workplace promotes their overall well-being.
Workers' Priorities Have Shifted to Overall Well-Being
Traditionally, many employers have promoted worksite wellness, mostly with a concentration on physical wellness and workplace safety. But the COVID-19 pandemic continues to underscore the increased importance of workers’ emotional and mental well-being. Whether working on-site or remotely, workers continue to prioritize their overall health.Workers returning to the workplace are prioritizing their overall well-being
Since the pandemic has subsided, seven in ten workers age 50-plus (70%) report working all or most of their hours on-site, while almost a quarter (23%) are working all or most of their hours from home or remotely. The majority of workers age 50-plus (94%) say they are comfortable working on-site. However, workers age 50–64 are more likely than those 65-plus to say they are not comfortable doing so (6% vs. 1%). More than one in ten workers age 50-plus say that working on-site has had a negative impact on their mental (12%), emotional (13%), and physical (16%) well-being. The quest for wellness has prompted nearly all workers (94%) to engage in at least one healthy behavior to manage their overall well-being, according to our research. Most are getting enough rest/sleep (68%), exercising regularly (60%), and eating a healthy diet (60%). While these top items are the same regardless of age, the proportion of workers engaging in some of them varies. Compared to workers age 50–64, those 65-plus are more likely to manage their overall wellness by getting regular exercise (70% vs. 58%) and eating a healthy diet (70% vs. 57%).Work-related stress continues to impact workers wellness whether they work on-site or remotely
Most workers are satisfied with their jobs (89%). However, when compared to workers age 65-plus, workers ages 50–64 are more likely to be dissatisfied with their jobs (11% vs. 8%). Whether working on-site or remotely, workers noted these top three stressors: maintaining a work–life balance (25%), having control over their time (20%), and completing their work (20%). In fact, workers ages 50–64 are more likely than those age 65-plus to report being stressed about work–life balance (28% vs. 11%), completing their work (23% vs. 6%), and ending work for the day (16% vs. 7%).While work continues to be important many workers say the COVID-19 pandemic has shifted their priorities
Roughly one in five workers age 50-plus (19%) report that they now prioritize their overall well-being over their job when they did the opposite before the COVID-19 pandemic began. To maintain workers’ well-being in the workplace, workers most often cited more money (30%), time off (26%), and flexibility (17%). Workers ages 50–64 are more likely than those age 65-plus to say time off is most important (29% vs. 13%). In contrast, workers 65-plus are more likely than workers ages 50–64 to say that providing caregiving support is most important (6% vs. 1%).Workers believe that employers can take action to address overall well-being. They most often cited paying employees fairly (66%), increasing traditional benefit offerings (55%), and allowing flexibility (54%). Workers ages 50–64 are more likely than those age 65-plus to say employers should increase traditional benefit offerings (57% vs. 46%) and allow more flexibility (56% vs. 44%). Nevertheless, most workers age 50-plus (70%) agree that their current workplace promotes their overall well-being.