According to a recent ORC International survey on the United Kingdom work force, 42 percent of regular smokers believe they are either healthy or very healthy, with only 17 percent seeing themselves as unhealthy or very unhealthy.
The survey also reveals that just 12 percent of the work force considers believes they are unhealthy or very unhealthy, and 24 percent of respondents regularly smoke while 41 percent of respondents habitually drink.
Of the respondents, 39 percent say they are overweight, and 60 percent exercise less than three hours each week. Twenty-seven percent of those who do not exercise say they are very healthy or healthy while 65 percent of those who say they are underweight also say they are healthy or very healthy.
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"Views on health don't match the reality of behaviors," says Sally Winston, employee engagement expert at ORC. "Employers can play a role in helping individuals to become healthier through education, communication and by providing access to a range of healthy workplace initiatives. Our research highlighted a definite link between engagement and well-being. It suggests that if employers show staff that they care about their well-being, they are likely to be better engaged, committed and excited about coming to work."
The survey was conducted in along with former Olympic athlete Sally Gunnell who is promoting her effort to bring healthy living into the workplace. Gunnell commissioned the survey to measure the attitudes of employees toward workplace well-being.
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