Eating out, poor hand hygiene and erratic weather may be among causes, say medics
The slight decline was driven by people having less personal time and concerns about meeting the needs of family members, as per the 2018 Cigna 360 Well-Being Survey - Future Assured which was released on Monday.
Factoring in the responses of the resident UAE population for the second consecutive year, the findings indicate that the overall well-being remains stable with residents more confident of their ability to manage current and future costs, and the majority confirming a good work-life balance.
Workplace wellness programmes are crucial for employees in the UAE, with 81 per cent of the respondents agreeing that such initiatives are important in choosing between two potential employers. Notably, this finding peaks to 85 per cent among the millennials.
The survey findings hint at a lower incidence of employer support, with three in five respondents saying they do not have any formal workplace wellness programme, and half of them claiming they do not receive adequate support from employers in dealing with stress.
"More people are feeling positive about their current financial situation and understand the need to prepare for their future. However, our findings also show a trade-off as we face increased levels of workplace stress today," said Art Cozad, chief executive officer, Cigna Insurance Middle East.
"This presents a huge opportunity for employers to step up their workplace wellness efforts. The UAE Government has already taken the lead in this respect through the innovative Happiness Agenda that is setting a benchmark for countries around the world. Following their example, private sector companies can offer practical solutions such as flexi-hours or stress management support through insurance packages that include mental wellness."Expert speak
"To ensure wellness, there should be cooperation and feeling of team work, administration should be reachable, there should be fairness and feeling of team work and helpfulness," he added.
Companies are aware that there is a direct link between the health and happiness of the employees and productivity.
Drawing on 14,467 online interviews, including 502 in the UAE, the 2018 Cigna 360 Well-Being Survey was conducted from February to March 2018 across 23 countries and territories.KT nano edit: Make surveys effective
Eating out, poor hand hygiene and erratic weather may be among causes, say medics
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