A national research study shows the rising value of support services in the UK workplace. The findings showed a time-starved workforce with one in four respondents claiming to be working longer over the last 12 months. The survey showed that 75% of those interviewed feel stress at work with the figure rising to 85% of managers and 87% of senior managers. Fifty per cent of respondents claimed to be more stressed than they were twelve months ago. Employees cited workload (68%), tight deadlines (60%) and internal systems (56%) as the cause.

Respondents to the survey (conducted for Sodexho) clearly stated that the provision of on-site services in the workplace would make them more efficient and productive. Eighty per cent of respondents felt this was the case and this figure rose to 90% of senior managers. The survey also revealed that on-site services - canteens, crèches, dry-cleaning, and help desks - genuinely impact on staff loyalty for six out of every ten workers.

Dr David Lewis, a leading expert on stress and human performance, explained: "Many organisations have a long working hours culture, with less job security and more overload. This comes not only from increasing business demands coupled with fewer staff, but also from technological overloads, such as e-mail and mobile phones. It is particularly interesting that employees acknowledge that more support will not only mean that they can work harder but also smarter. This not only increases efficiency but also saves money. The CBI estimates £12 billion was lost last year on stress-related illness in the UK."

The research was conducted on behalf of Sodexho by Synergy Consulting in November last year. 1,038 interviews were conducted on a random basis among employees of companies in Great Britain and Northern Ireland which employed more than 500 people and had a staff restaurant / canteen.

Richard Byatt