What Concerns Are Affecting The Industry?

SAFETY CONCERNS IMPACT PRODUCTIVITY & WELLBEING

Safety concerns are real for the majority of workers, whether it is fears about working late, travelling to and from work, travelling for business, or interacting with the public. These worries can significantly impact employees' behaviour, productivity, job satisfaction, and overall wellbeing.

In fact, 1 in 4 professional services employees reported that safety concerns affected their work performance and wellbeing. This figure increases to 42% when an incident occurs in the company.

For some employees, these concerns are enough to avoid important duties and alter their behaviour.

71% have safety concerns when working late

69% of commuters have safety concerns about their journey

75% of workers have safety concerns when travelling for business

69% of employees who interact with the public have concerns about doing so

SAFETY FEARS PREVENT EMPLOYEES FROM WORKING LATE

More than three-quarters of workers report that they work late, yet 71% have safety concerns when they do. For one in four employees who work late, safety concerns are significant enough that they feel unsafe travelling home after hours.

These concerns extend beyond simply travelling home late. Employees are also worried about being alone in the building, using the car park, and having to walk through poorly lit areas in the vicinity of the office.

These concerns don't just impact employees' safety and wellbeing, they also reduce their willingness to work late in the future. In fact, almost half (48%) of those who work late are discouraged from continuing this behaviour at least some of the time due to personal safety concerns.

Top safety concerns
when working late:

THE MAJORITY OF WORKERS ARE CONCERNED ABOUT COMMUTING

Safety concerns related to commuting to and from work are widespread. 69% of commuters have safety concerns about their journey, with worries ranging from travelling through unsafe areas (13%) to encountering anti-social behaviour (24%).

This figure is particularly concerning, as over three quarters of the businesses we surveyed were based in urban areas and metropolitan city centres where crime rates are often higher.

When commuting to work, 4 in 10 people used public transport and a quarter of those avoid travelling at ‘unsafe’ times of the day, take a longer route to avoid unsafe areas, or even pay more for a safer journey.

69% of commuters have safety concerns about their journey

22% of commuters are concerned about being followed

25% are discouraged from coming into the office due to personal safety concerns

EMPLOYEES ARE CONCERNED FOR THEIR SAFETY WHEN TRAVELLING FOR BUSINESS

Before asking any employee to travel for work, businesses have a legal duty to conduct a business travel risk assessment, create a duty of care plan and implement a travel risk management process.

When travelling for business, 75% of workers have safety concerns despite the legal precedent incumbent on employers.

1 in 5 business travellers frequently experience concerns such as becoming a victim of crime, getting lost or being stranded. These concerns can have a significant impact on their productivity, job satisfaction, and overall wellbeing. In fact, 30% of those who travel for business would potentially avoid it altogether due to safety concerns.

While around half of organisations have a formal check-in system for business travellers, this is often seen as unreliable (13%) and admin-heavy (17%). This lack of trust in safety systems can leave employees feeling vulnerable and unprotected by their employer.

21% of employees are concerned about becoming a victim of crime whilst travelling for work

INTERACTING WITH THE PUBLIC CAUSES STRESS AND ANXIETY

Interacting with the general public is a necessary part of the role for nearly a third of employees, but it can also be a challenging and stressful experience. In fact, 69% of employees who interact with the public have concerns about doing so.

For one in three, the fear of dealing with angry customers is their primary concern. Even if the clients don’t behave angrily, there is an existent fear that this will be the case. This fear can lead to increased stress levels, making it more difficult for workers to perform their jobs effectively.

Unfortunately, the worry of encountering disgruntled customers is not unfounded. One in four respondents reported experiencing threatening incidents, including verbal and physical assault

In addition to the immediate physical and emotional impact of an incident of this nature, workers may feel anxious or stressed about completing similar tasks. If this is a core aspect of their role, it may lead them to consider their position and remove the safety concern by switching jobs.