The recently published, BUPA Wellbeing Index has indicated that working from home and other effects of the coronavirus pandemic have created a health crisis for many employees who have got too used to a sedentary lifestyle.

The report said it could take the UK years to recover from the negative health impacts of working from home – something for employers to bear in mind when considering their working arrangements.

The research finds that among those working from home more frequently, one in five is exercising less often, driven by the removal of the daily commute.

It also showed that physical and mental health of UK adults declined during the pandemic, exacerbated by lockdowns and the impact of increased remote working.

Half of people have not visited their GP in the past year and 60 per cent have not had a dental check-up, the findings reveal.

The BUPA Wellbeing Index published on May 16 is based on a survey of more than 8,000 adults in the UK in March.

About 15 per cent said they were still drinking more alcohol compared to the start of the pandemic while the mental health of 34 per cent had declined because of lockdowns and the impact of increased remote working.

BUPA said that while there is still significant work to be done to avoid a long-term health crisis, many are now resolving to change their habits and boost their wellbeing through diet, exercise, and stopping smoking.

We at A-One take the wellbeing of our staff seriously. That’s why we have trained Mental Health First Aiders so that we can support each member of staff whenever they need it. We then extend this care into the policies that we offer our clients. We provide a wide range of Health & Protection policies including bespoke packages for private individuals as well as companies to protect their own staff.

If you’d like to find out a bit more about the services we offer, visit our dedicated Health & Protection page alternatively, give our Protection team a call on 01425 486678.