Small businesses cautioned not to overwork employees
Small businesses have been warned that at least one quarter of UK employees go the full working day without a break, a recent report by the Chartered Institute of Physiotherapy (CIP) has shown.
According to the report by the CIP, 36% of employees are regularly skipping their lunch break as a result of their workload. Almost 50% of respondents stated that their physical pains were due to working in the same cramped conditions for extended periods of time. Of those people, at least 41% reported that their pain was made worse by experiencing work-related stress.
Phil Gray, the Institute’s Chief Executive, commented that many physiotherapists are concerned that overworking and not taking breaks is costing employers and their staff dearly. He added:
“With advice and support from physiotherapists and other occupational health experts, employers can create healthier work environments and benefit not only society but also their profit margin.”
In response to the survey, Ben Willmott, the senior public policy advisor to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), has said that this is "a wake-up call" about post-recession pressure in the workplace. He added that small business owners should be on the lookout for signs that their staff are not coping.
"The impact of the recession is only now beginning to affect the workplace on a daily basis, and obviously issues around workloads - such as whether or not people are taking appropriate breaks - are something employers should be thinking about."
Mr Wilmott went on to comment:
"It's not just working through your lunch break; it's also whether people are working excessive hours, whether they are staying on too long, whether they are in touch with work over the weekend or sending emails in the middle of the night."
He added that the effects from the economic downturn, such as redundancies, have increased the pressures already apparent in the workplace, leading to time off work, depression, anxiety and even heart disease.
16/06/10
