- 64% of employees surveyed report suffering productivity anxiety, with 10% of those saying they experience it every day.
- 57% of those surveyed said they would feel less anxious if they received proper recognition for their work.
- The survey also reveals that men are generally more productive working at the office, whilst women reported being more productive working from home.
Workhuman®, the company revolutionising the way employees celebrate, connect with and appreciate each other in the workplace, today announces new findings from its Human Workplace Index, which found that 64% of employees in Ireland are suffering from productivity anxiety. Recognition is a key element in helping to improve employees’ wellbeing, with 57% saying they would feel less anxious if they received proper recognition for their work.
The research also found that although 58% of employees said they feel more productive at the office, a gender disparity exists in perceived in-office productivity. While 71% of male employees felt they accomplished more on in-office days, only 33% of female employees reported the same. Despite this, women are more likely to work in the office five days a week compared to men, with 58% of women required to be in the office, versus 30% of men.
The survey of 1,000 full-time employees in Ireland was commissioned by Workhuman and conducted by Pollfish to gain insights into workplace sentiment, productivity and wellbeing.
Additionally, while work-life balance is highlighted as the most important aspect of workplace wellbeing for 65% of Irish employees and 31% believe that companies facilitating work-life balance are more successful in fostering employee-employer trust, there are significant disparities in the distribution of wellness benefits between men and women. Nearly half of employees report receiving wellness benefits or perks in addition to standard benefits and say they improve their overall wellbeing, but men are more than twice as likely to have access to perks like gym memberships, healthy snacks, and in-office wellness spaces compared to women.
Niamh Graham, Senior Vice President of Global Human Experience, Workhuman, said: “With ways of working constantly evolving, it is not surprising that employees may be feeling more anxious about whether they are achieving enough at work, and being noticed for it. With recognition being the number one factor employees stated can help with their anxiety, leaders must start prioritizing this to foster a supportive work environment.
Our survey also shows a discrepancy between men and women when it comes to working arrangements and wellbeing perks. With more than half of women saying they are more productive at home, but most of them being required to work five days a week on-site, it’s clear that leadership needs to be more in tune with the individual needs of its employees when designing flexible work policies and wellbeing benefits packages. Understanding and addressing these gaps is essential for companies to foster a fair, supportive, and productive work environment for all employees”