Two fifths of workers say their job has a negative impact on their health

Nick Elvin

Millions of the UK’s workforce feel they are putting their heart health at risk due to the pressures of their job, according to new research by the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

The survey shows that many people feel their stressful working life is leading to them eating a poor diet, not doing enough exercise and drinking and smoking more than they otherwise would.

It found that 41% of people feel their job has had a negative impact on their health in the last five years, with more than half (55%) saying they have become more stressed as a result of their job over the same time period.

When asked how their work has ever affected their health, 34% of workers said they think they have put on weight because of their work, with almost half (49%) saying their job has driven them to eat more unhealthily.

More than two fifths (43%) said their work has caused them to exercise less than they would like, while 22% said their job has led to them to drink more alcohol and 9% said it has been a trigger for smoking more.

The survey also found that 60% of employees regularly do unpaid overtime, with almost two in ten (19%) working more than five hours of overtime a week. The pressures of work are leaving employees concerned about their long-term health with almost a third (29%) fearing it could lead to high blood pressure and more than one in five (21%) a heart attack or heart condition.

Obesity, lack of physical activity and smoking all increase the risk of coronary heart disease – the nation’s single biggest killer. The BHF says employers should encourage their workforce to take as little as ten minutes every day to improve their health at work, as this can lead to significant benefits in employee heart health and productivity.

Productivity loss as a result of heart and circulatory conditions is estimated to cost businesses £8 billion a year. However, the BHF says research shows that 82% of companies with employee wellness programmes see reduced sickness absence and a 15% increase in output.

Lisa Young, project manager for the BHF’s Health at Work programme, said: “This survey is a stark reminder of just what happens when we don’t take our health at work seriously enough. Millions of people say they are smoking more, exercising less and putting on weight because they’re not considering the impact their job is having on their health and wellbeing.

“Behaviours like these can be extremely damaging, not just to your heart health but also to businesses. From working with over 9,500 organisations we know that the payoffs of making health at work a top businesses priority are too great to ignore. Small steps can make a big difference to your health.”