August 25, 2010
UK employees would prefer to keep stress and health related issues to themselves rather than confide in their employers, new research has found.
The majority of sufferers believe their bosses to be untrustworthy and feel that health matters should stay private in order to avoid career damages, according to a survey by Aviva UK Health.
Only one in 25 of those surveyed indicated a willingness to speak with their boss regarding a health issue, with one in 20 stating they might confide in a colleague instead. The HR department was an equally unpopular option, with just 1% showing a willingness to involve HR staff.
Family doctors were much more popular, with 33% willing to speak with their GP, and 60% would discuss a health problem with their partner.
By contrast, Employers are convinced that they are doing all they can to nip potential problems in the bud, as 39% claim to make a point of identifying any employee issues and 42% say they operate an open door policy.
"While employers do seem to be taking positive steps to tackle health . . . . they are doing little to communicate that the support services are available and the worrying employee responses suggest that their efforts may still be falling wide of the mark,” commented Aviva UK Health.
In response, Dr Doug Wright, Clinical Consultant at Aviva UK Health, believes employers need to “break down” communication barriers and ensure “specialist support networks” are there to assist struggling employees.
"The breakdown in communication between employers and their staff means that health risks such as stress in the workplace are not being effectively managed,” added Dr Wright. “Lack of employee engagement will also hinder an employer's ability to intervene early and offer their employees the right support at the right time."
