I N S I G H T : E M P L OY E E B E N E F I T S
UK’s brave face workplace culture takes its toll as 3 in 4 surveyed workers now suffer from ‘pleasanteeism’ ‘Pleasanteeism’ – the pressure to put on a brave face – is on the rise across the UK, as three quarters (75%) of workers surveyed admit to feeling like they have to put on a brave face in front of their colleagues, regardless of how they’re really feeling. According to new research, released by Lime Global, pleasanteeism is up by 24 percentage points from May 2021 with just over half (51%) of workers admitted to suffering from pleasanteeism. Here Shaun Williams, CEO & Founder, Lime Global takes a closer look at the research. Top concerns for non-managerial staff include worrying behind the scenes about money and the cost of living, which impacts 36% of non-managerial staff in comparison to 21% of managerial staff. The research also found that 29% of non-managerial staff admit to being stressed at work, in comparison to 24% of their managerial colleagues.
With more workers masking how they really feel than ever before, pleasanteeism is having a significant impact on the productivity of UK businesses. Findings from the research revealed that over half (54%) of employees have taken time off work due to feeling like they have to put on a brave face. In fact, on average, workers take 2.75 days off per year as a result of this brave face culture. Across the entire UK workforce, this could add up to as many as 67 million days lost each year.
Better support and benefits for every employee Findings from the research demonstrate that more can be done to tackle pleasanteeism and the negative impact that it is having on UK workers and business productivity. In fact, half (50%) of respondents revealed that their expectations of their employer to support their mental health are higher now than they were before the pandemic, however they expect this support to be offered to every member of staff.
If left unaddressed, this could become a catastrophic problem, affecting absenteeism levels across businesses that are already struggling amid the pandemic, and staff shortages caused by Brexit and the rapid spread of Omicron. Not only is this driving up absence rates, but workers also revealed that having to put on a brave face at work impacts their ability to do their job effectively, with a third (33%) of those who feel like they have had to put on a brave face admitting that they have been unable to concentrate at work or had an unproductive day.
After two years of stress and anxiety caused by the pandemic, concerns over health and wellbeing are understandably on the rise. It’s therefore vital that businesses and HR managers act to offer each one of their employees as much support as possible.
Non-managerial staff bearing the brunt
Providing access to inclusive healthcare benefits – that are designed to make a tangible impact – combined with a company culture that supports health and wellbeing, are key steps that HR managers should take to produce a happier, healthier and more productive workforce.
Non-managerial staff appear to be bearing the brunt of the phenomenon. When it comes to opening up about their problems, these workers are more likely to suffer in silence than managerial staff, with 30% not wanting to make a fuss about what they’re going through compared to 25% of managerial staff. 28% also don’t feel comfortable talking about their problems at work in comparison to 24% of managers, while 23% worry that people would talk behind their back, in comparison to 15% of managerial workers.
Many workers also said they would welcome small initiatives from their employer including mental health days off (24%), and greater flexibility in working hours (22%). While 23% said they would like their employer to be more mindful of their workload and work/ life balance.
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