Working on wellbeing

More than 50 per cent of workers in Lancashire have reported that stress, anxiety or depression was caused by or made worse by work, delegates to a major wellbeing conference heard.

The stark statistic was one of the headline findings of the University of Central Lancashire’s in-depth report ‘Work in Lancashire’ which looks at job quality and productivity.

It was shared with delegates at The Lancashire Health and Wellbeing Conference. During the course of the event, they also heard of the negative impact poor health is having on the county’s economic wellbeing.

Lancashire’s economy is 10 per cent smaller and losing around £3bn a year because of its below average health and wellbeing, which is having a real effect on productivity.

Inequality within the county is also a problem. Workers living in poorer parts of Lancashire, with issues such as inadequate housing, face having to stop work through ill-health 15 years earlier than someone living in an affluent area.

These were just some of the issues and challenges highlighted at the conference at Crow Wood Hotel in Burnley.

Organised by Lancashire Business View, in association with Amber River True Bearing and University of Central Lancashire, it attracted business leaders and health and wellbeing experts from across the county.

They heard from businesses successfully supporting their teams to be happy and healthy, looked at wellbeing strategies in the workplace and took part in masterclasses held by experts.

This year’s conference looked at physical, mental and financial wellbeing with the focus on building strategies into more of Lancashire’s workplaces.

Delegates heard how businesses embracing those strategies were proving more productive, were more attractive to prospective employees and were also seeing retention rates improve.

Dr Adrian Wright, director of the Institute for Research into Organisations, Work and Employment, and deputy head of the School of Management at UCLan, was one of the authors of the ‘Work in Lancashire’ report.

He said one of the most striking findings of the study, which surveyed a cross section of more than 200 workers in a range of industries and sectors, was the impact that work has on health and wellbeing. The report’s authors say the results suggest that organisations need to work harder to consider that impact.

Dr Wright told the conference: “We know that things like long hours, poor pay and how the job is designed have a major impact on health and wellbeing.

“If people have the ability to do their job well and are motivated, they are going to perform better.

“There’s a link between health and wellbeing and productivity. Those companies that engage in the health and wellbeing conversation and have a strategy have better productivity.”

John Addis, senior associate director and chartered financial planner at Amber River True Bearing delivered a masterclass that looked at a wide range of financial wellbeing issues, including pension provision and ‘life landscaping’ for a happy retirement. He also highlighted that one in five employees say financial stress impacts on their productivity.

The event was also supported by exhibitors Fitness Evolution, Lancashire Mind and YOLO Wellbeing.

For full coverage of the conference pick up a copy of the May/June edition of Lancashire Business View.