11/11/2009 - Cash concerns hit staff performance
A new survey has suggested that worrying about finances prevents many employees from putting in their best efforts.
Eight in 10 of the 2,110 people that YouGov surveyed confessed to feeling anxious about finances and seven in 10 said they spend time thinking about it when they should be working. Around 4% said at least four hours a day were spent worrying about money and more than a third said their anxiety prevented them from performing at their best.
The main concern for most is paying bills and repaying debt. Around 35% said they were also worried about the economic recovery. Such concerns had caused five per cent to take time off work in the past year, according to insurer Axa, which is urging companies to give staff 15 minutes each week to manage their finances as part of its My Budget Day initiative.
The firm's head of corporate healthcare development Dudley Lusted said Britain's workforce should be allowed time to address financial issues "with the boss's blessing." Despite more than half saying they planned to try and save more, 56% confessed to not assigning any time each month to manage finances.
Copyright © Press Association 2009
Related links
|
