Employees facing redundancy fears, anxiety and pressure in the workplace 

New research from Reward Gateway | Edenred reveals how declining business performance is fuelling anxiety in the workforce, with a third of employees fearing for their future and most linking their wellbeing directly to productivity.

34% of employees fear being made redundant if their company isn’t doing well. 81% of employees believe wellbeing is directly linked to productivity in the workplaceNot being paid enough (11%) and lack of seniority (11%) cited as reasons why employees are not impacted by business performance .

A third (34%) of employees fear for their future at their company if it isn’t performing which ultimately impacts wellbeing and productivity, according to Reward Gateway | Edenred’s latest research. 

With business confidence consistently falling due to rising cost pressures and market volatility, employees are being directly impacted. 30% said they get anxious if their company isn’t doing well, while a quarter (25%) feel under pressure. 

Nearly 1 in 5 (18%) also fear they won’t get promoted if the company isn’t doing well, despite meeting all necessary goals for it to happen. 

These worries can impact how productive employees are in the workplace, with 81% agreeing that poor wellbeing contributes directly to a drop in productivity, highlighting a need for robust wellbeing benefits and practices from businesses. 

41% of employees said their wellbeing significantly impacts their productivity, while 36% said it sometimes impacts them. Only 5% said their wellbeing had no impact on their productivity. Worryingly, one in 10 (10%) said their wellbeing at work was poor. 

However, the majority of employees surveyed reported good wellbeing (72%), while 18% said they felt neutral. This could be due to stronger work-life boundaries, as 17% say they don’t let work affect their wellbeing. For others, business performance doesn’t impact their wellbeing as they aren’t being paid enough to worry about it (11%) or have senior enough roles to take that concern on (11%). 

Chris Britton, People Experience Director at Reward Gateway | Edenred, commented: 

“While it may seem like business leaders are shouldering most of the problems their organisation faces, our research shows employees are on the same page. With constant news of redundancies due to rising employment costs, it’s no surprise that a significant number of workers fear for their jobs and livelihood. Ultimately, it’s their wellbeing at risk, and this not only impacts their productivity, but can turn into absences due to burn-out, stress and sickness down the line. 

“A business is only as good as its workforce, which is why it’s crucial for businesses to ensure their employees are happy, satisfied and thriving to improve wellbeing, productivity and retention rates. The difficult economic climate is even more reason to action this, as supported employees are more likely to work harder, take on more tasks and stay loyal. In the current worklessness crisis, this is more important than ever, and it’s time businesses get on board.”