Unhealthy lifestyles in the workplace are being fuelled by bosses ‘guilt tripping’ their employees over taking lunch breaks and exercising, a new survey has revealed.
It has been discovered that one in three employees regularly skip meals whilst at work and one in five feel guilty taking time out to exercise, visit a GP or get medical treatment, Central YMCA has reported. The ‘no lunch break’ culture is said to be damaging for employees in all professions and can have a serious effect on health, mood and motivation in the workplace, the London Evening Standard reports.
The survey, which questioned over 1,000 employees from around the country, is said to have highlighted the seriousness of the issue with staff from numerous professions, many of whom are working alongside YMCA to promote ‘fit’ professional environments up and down the UK. The ‘workplace activator’ programme asks colleagues to act as ‘buddies’ for one another to inspire and encourage a healthy work-life balance.
Dame Carol Black, the Government’s National Director for Health and Work, has backed the YMCA report. “If we are to succeed in improving the health of the working age population, everyone who has a vested interest in this area has to work together to provide solutions to the many, varied barriers people face in returning to or getting into work,” she said.
Working through breaks and lunchtimes seems to be a common issue in schools, colleges and universities.
“I am a nursery teacher and Foundation Phase leader in a primary school. I work through lunchtimes and most evenings. I have no work-life balance and I am irritable with my family,” said one respondent in our recent poll on how workload affects health and wellbeing. “I arise at 4:30 am, start work at 4:45am until 7:00am. Arrive at work 8am, rarely leave before 6:15pm, often without a proper break during the day,” said another.
To find out more information on how you can improve your work-life balance, try these factsheets:
