New York - Companies around the globe have work to do to
improve worker satisfaction because only three in 10 employees say their
workplace is psychologically safe and healthy, according to a new poll.
Whether it is due to stress, interpersonal conflict,
frustration, lack of feedback or promotion, 27% of workers in 24 countries said
they are not happy with the psychological aspects of their work environment,
the survey by research company Ipsos for Reuters showed.
"Employers need to pay attention to their employees'
mental health, not just their physical health," said Alexandra Evershed,
senior vice-president, Ipsos Public Affairs. "Three in 10 is still a
fairly large proportion and that goes up to 44% and 43% in Argentina and
Mexico, and 42% in Hungary."
Nearly half, 47%, of the total of 14 618 workers polled
agreed that their workplace was "a psychologically safe and healthy
environment to work in", and 26% hovered on the fence and weren't sure.
Although many North Americans have fewer holidays than
Europeans and may work longer hours and enjoy fewer social services, Americans
and Canadians had the highest marks for positively assessing the mental health
of their workplace, followed by workers in India, Australia, Great Britain and
South Africa.
Evershed suggested that the improving economies in some
countries could have played a part in the positive assessment among employees.
"It's better than it was," she said in an
interview. "India, China, Brazil, South Africa, these are countries where
the economic picture has been brightening."
Older workers over 50 with a good household income who have
completed a higher level of education were the most satisfied with the
psychological aspects of their workplace.
"This is an online survey therefore in countries like
Brazil, South Africa and China we are surveying people who are a bit better
off."
Ipsos polled workers in Argentina, Australia, Belgium,
Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Britain, Hungary, India, Indonesia,
Italy, Japan, Mexico, Poland, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea,
Spain, Sweden, Turkey and the United States.