Half of automotive sector employees have suffered stress at work and home in the last year, with more than half linking personal issues to reduced performance at work, according to a new survey by BEN, the UK’s dedicated charity for the automotive sector.

Financial security was also a key issue from both personal and professional perspectives, with 50% saying they’d had money concerns in the last year, and 28% having experienced a pay freeze or cut. 

After stress and changes to pay, the third largest work concern was a lack of training and development support (22%)

Meanwhile, 64% of those surveyed felt that their personal circumstances had affected their performance at work, and conversely 57% of those who had suffered a work concern felt this had a negative impact on their personal well-being.

Other personal concerns included:

- An issue related to a dependent family member, 22%
- Personal illness, 20%
- Professional relationships, 20%

The survey also highlighted how disinclined people are to talk about their problems, either personal or professional, with 36% of respondents saying they didn’t seek support for either– the largest category by far.

When asked about where they sought support for their work issues, it appeared that people are especially unlikely to talk to their employer: 12.5% of those surveyed said they’d gone to their line manager, and just 7% to their HR department.

Nigel Rothband, chief operating officer for BEN, said: “Many people are struggling at home and in the workplace and either don’t know or aren’t comfortable with asking for help.

“This isn’t just an issue for the individual – it can also have a knock-on effect on performance at work. As the old adage goes, ‘a problem shared is a problem halved’.

“BEN is dedicated to offering independent and confidential support to employers and employees alike and offers a wide range of services, from financial grants, to advice on life issues.

“We want to encourage anybody who needs support, or simply a bit of advice, to get in touch as soon as they can.”

Survey results were based on a web poll of 416 people, all of whom worked in various sectors of the automotive industry.
 

More articles on:

Author: Fleet News