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workplace wellbeing

Gen Z and Millennials on the front foot when it comes to workplace change
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Younger workers are calling for enhanced wellbeing, sustainable and digital workplace practices to a greater extent than any other age cohort – and are willing to look at alternative employers if their needs aren’t met.

That’s according to research from food giant Compass Group and Mintel, which analysed insights from 35,000 global workers across 26 countries on their workplace preferences, including employee views on eating at work, sustainability, digital adoption, health, and mental wellbeing.

The the Global Eating at Work Survey 2023 reveals that the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing global cost of living crisis have made UK employees more mindful of what they want and deserve from an employer.

  • Across all age groups, 46% of UK workers say they are scrutinising employee benefits more closely than they used to, peaking at 59% among Gen Z.
  • 36% of UK workers say they feel less loyal towards their employer since COVID-19, jumping to one in two (50%) among Gen Z employees and 47% for Millennials.
  • 68% of UK workers say employers should be doing more to support employees with the cost-of-living crisis, peaking at 76% for Gen Z and Millennials.
  • 71% of UK Gen Z say having a staff restaurant on-site shows an employer cares about its employees.

The list of UK worker demands from current and prospective employers is evolving, with food provision at work viewed as a major asset in the war for talent, especially among younger workers.

  • Across all age groups, flexible working is considered the most appealing non-monetary benefit that employers can provide, followed by health insurance, discount schemes and having a staff restaurant at work.
  • 65% of UK Gen Z say an on-site cafeteria would positively influence their decision to join a prospective employer, compared to 46% average across all age demographics, and 29% for Baby Boomers.
  • 63% of UK workers (and 70% of Millennials) that have a staff restaurant in their workplace say they speak more highly of their employer to others outside of their organisation, compared to 54% for employees without any food provision at work.

Providing a sustainable and healthy food offer at work is paramount, especially for Millennials.

  • 66% of UK workers say that employers have a responsibility to pro-actively promote sustainability in the workplace, peaking at 73% for Millennials.
  • All age groups expect food outlets should help them make healthier food and drink choices through the food they serve, peaking at 68% among Millennials.
  • Younger generations are driving a meat-free revolution in the workplace, with more than half of Gen Z and Millennials happy to eat vegan or vegetarian meals compared to around a third of Baby Boomers.

Of any generation, Gen Z and Millennials are also most open to digital foodservice innovations that can improve their productivity and health at work.

  • 77% of UK Gen Z and Millennials say that taking a proper lunch break makes them more productive when they return to work, compared to 67% among Baby Boomers.
  • 69% of Gen Z and Millennial workers in the UK are happy to order food and drinks via apps, compared to less than half of Gen X (48%) and only a quarter (26%) of Baby Boomers.
  • 48% of Gen Z workers say they like to stay on top of their calorie intake by tracking their diet via an app, versus 30% among the wider working-age population in the UK.

Morag Freathy, Managing Director, Eurest said: “With Gen Z and Millennials soon to make up the largest proportion of the UK workforce, their influence in the workplace is on the rise. For employers battling higher wage demands, productivity pressures, and retention and recruitment challenges as the war for talent continues, matching workplace initiatives with the preferences and values of these younger demographics is more important than ever.

“Since the pandemic, the lines between workers’ personal and professional values have become increasingly blurred. Empowered Gen Z and Millennial workers have made it clear that they want to associate themselves with companies who share their values, provide a safe, comfortable working environment, and support their health and wellbeing. And they are willing to look elsewhere if they feel their needs aren’t being met.

“Employers today need to use every tool at their disposal to attract, retain and motivate the best talent. As our research has shown, a staff restaurant is one of the most effective ways for employers to show that they care for their staff, while positively influencing employee loyalty and their willingness to speak positively about their employer. Meanwhile, enabling workers to have proper breaks with quality food and drink is shown to give workers a chance to properly reset and recharge, decreasing work-related stress while increasing productivity.”

Matt Thomas, Managing Director, Restaurant Associates, added: “Gen Z are digital natives, born in the era of on-demand culture, and as a result they have a greater interest in and expectations of technology for foodservice in the workplace. This presents exciting new opportunities for workplace dining facilities to meet Gen Z’s growing demand for ‘right here, right now’ with dedicated apps for anything from ordering, payment, and delivery, to tracking nutrition and the carbon footprint of the meals they choose.

“The whole eating at work “journey” needs to be as smooth, quick, and efficient as possible to harness employees’ productivity. Tech-enabled options make it easy for employees to order exactly what they need, when and where they need it, seamlessly integrating refuelling into their personal work schedule. Just as importantly, employers need to emphasise these benefits across their entire workforce to ensure a similar proportion of older employees enjoy the improved workplace experience that digital can bring.”

Workplace temperature control now vitally important, says BCIA
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With flexible working now becoming much more common since lockdown, the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) says staff will expect their employers to take the necessary steps to ensure their normal place of work is a comfortable environment, particularly in periods of extreme temperatures like we have witnessed this summer.

It also says that in an age of greater scrutiny on corporate ESG (environmental, social, governance), there are multiple benefits to be gained by investing in smart technology that will help organisations meet ESG criteria.

ESG criteria are a set of standards for a company’s behaviour used by socially conscious investors to screen potential investments. Environmental criteria consider how a company safeguards the environment, including corporate policies addressing climate change, for example.

Social criteria examine how it manages relationships with employees, suppliers, customers, and the communities where it operates, and governance standards ensure a company uses accurate and transparent accounting methods, pursues integrity and diversity in selecting its leadership, and is accountable to shareholders.

When thermometers hit 40°C in parts of the country in mid-July commuters were advised not to travel as rail networks operated reduced services, warnings were issued about the state of road surfaces affecting drivers and businesses asked some employees to work from home where possible to make conditions more bearable in their workspaces.

BCIA President Graeme Rees said: “Whether a workplace is sparsely or densely occupied, we have buildings throughout the country, old and new, that could be managed better, and the long-term benefits of investing in smart buildings is becoming clearer every day.

“From an environmental perspective, in a true smart building, if the technology is correctly designed, installed, commissioned and maintained it can help reduce energy consumption and spend and in doing so reduces carbon emissions. Companies can also provide the measurement and report the data to be able to illustrate their case to corporate shareholders.”

As technology continues to evolve, there is an increasing focus on the wellness of individuals in the workplace, as well as the drive for smarter buildings which help boost productivity. Graeme believes this summer will serve as another catalyst for making our buildings more energy efficient and comfortable to work in.

Rees added: “From the social angle, in the 21st century it is perfectly reasonable that we expect better conditions in the buildings we occupy. We have the technology available to us, and while your average modern family saloon car is given all the mod-cons to increase our comfort when driving, we arguably spend more time at work, so should we not be comfortable there, too?”

Extreme heat in the workplace: How to keep factory & warehouse staff safe and comfortable
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With England experiencing its first ever red warning for extreme heat this week, raised temperatures in the workplace have the potential to become a health and safety issue as employers struggle to keep working areas within the recommended temperatures.

In line with this concern, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) has called for a legally enforceable limit, suggesting a maximum temperature of 30C for regular indoor work and 27C for strenuous work.

The TUC says employers should act to bring down temperatures if they exceed 24C, however.

Slingsby, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of industrial and commercial equipment, has some simple and practical tips on how employers can keep factory and warehouse staff safe and comfortable at work during the soaring temperatures of the current heatwave:

  1. Check air conditioning and ventilation units are working at their optimum level – there may not be time to install new systems, but some quick maintenance checks could make all the difference. If more localised air cooling is required, in the case where conditioning systems are not adequate or, air conditioning systems are not installed within industrial environments, then a combination of fans, mobile air coolers and evaporative air coolers can be adopted.
  2. Place plastic PVC strip curtains over open building entrances to help block out harmful UV rays and maintain temperatures.
  3. Solar-control window film can be installed quickly and will work to deflect the sun’s heat, especially on windows that you know receive a lot of direct sunlight. This method can help to reduce your reliance on air-conditioning and work to save on your energy bills.
  4. Keep machinery and electrical equipment switched off overnight and when not in use. Heavy machinery generates a lot of heat, and this will help to bring down the room temperature of your warehouse or factory floor. Placing signage near machinery to remind workers to ‘switch off when not in use’ could prove helpful too.
  5. Adding water coolers to communal areas can help staff members stay cool and hydrated.
  6. Encourage employees to take cover away from the direct sunlight during lunch and smoking breaks. Create additional temporary shaded areas outside with parasols if you have the space.
  7. Monitor room temperatures across the different areas of your workplace with thermometers.
  8. During heatwaves and throughout the summer, the pollen count may be high and so, it is worth considering investing in air purifiers for your working environment, to help ensure employees are comfortable, especially those with hay fever.

4 in 10 would take unpaid leave to get more time off
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New research shows Brits are increasingly willing to take measures to achieve better work-life balance, as over 4 in 10 (43%) of UK employees would take unpaid leave to get more time off – the second highest amount of all European countries surveyed after Sweden.

The research from European HR and Payroll solutions provider, SD Worx, found that while Brits want to prioritise taking time off, the struggle is disconnecting from the working world. Findings show that almost a third (32%) of UK employees check their work while they should be offline, and 34% say that it’s difficult to let go of workload when on holiday.

The new research also shows the UK could be filled with ‘workaholics’. When British employees were asked about the amount of time off they think they need to recharge their batteries, respondents say 8.5 days on average. This is the shortest of all European workers surveyed, showing that even taking a week away from the office to disconnect can leave someone refreshed on their return.

The research also found UK employees like routine when it comes to holidays, with 34% preferring to take time off during the same periods each year.

When it comes to booking time off, despite increasing digitalisation in the workplace, surprisingly only slightly more than half (52%) of European survey respondents said they could easily request leave via their desktop, and even less (38%) via their smartphone.

UK employees also said they have to book time off around 27 days in advance – the lower end of the European spectrum compared to countries like Germany (75 days), Spain (61 days) and the Netherlands (55 days) who must really plan ahead of time.

“People work to live, not live to work, and that’s why it’s so important businesses create a culture where personal time and annual leave is respected, and team members are encouraged to completely disconnect,” said Colette Philp UK HR Country Lead at SD Worx.

“This type of culture shows a company prioritises individual wellbeing, and it can help prevent staff burnout in the lead up to a break and limit any anxious feeling about returning to work after. Instead, it helps team members ensure they take essential time off to re-set, and that they come back refreshed, re-energised, and ultimately more productive.”

Two-thirds of employers feel a greater responsibility for the mental wellbeing of staff
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According to research from GRiD, the industry body for the group risk protection sector, employers feel a greater responsibility for supporting staff across the four key areas of mental, physical, social, and financial wellbeing as a result of Covid-19.

In research conducted from 14 – 26 January 2022 amongst 501 HR decision-makers, due to the pandemic:

  • 59% of employers felt an increased responsibility for supporting the mental wellbeing of staff
  • 57% felt the same increased responsibility for physical wellbeing
  • 56% of employers felt an increased responsibility for supporting the social wellbeing of staff
  • and 50% also felt the same increased responsibility for their employees’ financial wellbeing

In light of the pandemic, and this sentiment to take greater responsibility for employee wellbeing, two fifths (40%) of employers increased their communication about the support available to staff. Thirty-four per cent encouraged engagement and utilisation of support, and just over a quarter (27%) said that they had made it easier for employees to access support and benefits remotely, such as via apps and online. A quarter extended support beyond the individual employee to include family members, and 22% invested in new employee benefits to provide extra support.

Employees report deterioration in wellness

Further GRiD research, conducted amongst 1,212 UK workers between 14-18 January 2022, highlights the fact that employers were correct to take steps to provide and communicate support and benefits to staff. Thirty-eight percent of employees stated that their mental health had deteriorated as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, 27% saw their physical health deteriorate and a further 27% had concerns about their financial health.

Forty-two percent of employees expect more support from their employers to help them cope. This employee presumption means employers need to assess whether their current employee benefits are up to the task of getting the wellbeing of staff back on track. Many staff are anticipating that their employers will provide on this front, and employers would do well to deliver, particularly in light of how employees feel their health has deteriorated .

Katharine Moxham, spokesperson for GRiD, said: “As is evident in the research, employees feel most vulnerable in terms of their mental wellbeing, and employers have rightly assessed this as being an area in which they can step up and take more responsibility. However, employers should be wary of solely prioritising one area of wellbeing over another.

“Mental, physical, social and financial wellbeing are inextricably linked and so employers must address all four areas when providing post-pandemic support for staff. Employer-sponsored life assurance, income protection and critical illness have proven really popular because they provide financial support when people have been directly affected by the pandemic, as well as extra embedded services designed to support health and wellbeing.

“As the UK adjusts to the new norms of working life, adopting this holistic approach to staff wellbeing will ensure that all employees are as well-looked after as possible, and this will have long-term benefits for the business too.”