A Quarter of Employees Report Negative Health Impacts from Their Jobs.
1 in 4 Workers Say Jobs Harm Mental and Physical Health – Handbook
According to the CIPD’s Good Work Index 2025, 25% of employees believe their job negatively affects both their mental and physical health. This statistic translates to approximately 8.5 million working individuals in the UK, underscoring a significant workforce health concern. This data is especially relevant as it quantifies the scale of workplace – related health issues, emphasizing the urgent need for employers to address these challenges to maintain a healthy, productive workforce.
Poor Workplace Relationships Harm Productivity.
The same CIPD report highlights that poor workplace relationships directly harm productivity. Specifically, strained interactions with colleagues and line managers contribute to this decline. Research consistently shows that teams with strong interpersonal connections can be up to 25% more productive, while poor relationships create stress and reduce engagement. The report’s findings provide a clear metric linking workplace dynamics with measurable drops in productivity, supporting the call for improved relational strategies at work.
The Scale of the Problem in the UK Workforce.
With 8.5 million workers affected, the mental and physical health toll of jobs in the UK is considerable. The CIPD’s Good Work Index 2025 offers a comprehensive view of this issue, revealing that job – related stress is a major factor. For example, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimated in 2023 that work – related stress, depression, or anxiety accounted for 17.9 million working days lost, reinforcing the CIPD’s conclusion that job health impacts are both widespread and costly.
Importance of Holistic Workplace Wellbeing.
The findings from the CIPD report align with growing evidence supporting holistic workplace wellbeing programs. As detailed in the Undercover Recruiter’s article “Holistic Workplace Wellbeing: 6 Ways Employers Can Unlock Greater Engagement and Productivity, ” addressing mental, physical, and social health collectively can lead to measurable improvements. Workplaces implementing such programs have seen up to a 20% increase in employee engagement and a 15% rise in productivity, demonstrating the quantifiable benefits of comprehensive wellbeing strategies.
Practical Steps Employers Can Take.
Employers looking to mitigate the negative health impacts and improve workplace relationships can adopt several evidence – based approaches. These include fostering open communication, providing mental health resources, and encouraging social connections among staff. For instance, companies offering mental health support have reported a 30% reduction in absenteeism, according to a 2023 Deloitte survey. Such metrics validate the effectiveness of targeted interventions in improving workforce wellbeing and productivity.
Conclusion.
The CIPD’s Good Work Index 2025 reveals that a quarter of UK employees suffer negative mental and physical health effects from their jobs, with poor workplace relationships exacerbating productivity losses. With 8.5 million workers impacted, this represents a critical challenge for employers. Implementing holistic wellbeing programs and improving workplace relationships are proven strategies that can enhance both health and productivity, backed by measurable gains in engagement, absenteeism reduction, and overall performance.
