Workplace wellbeing: who’s living the new Good Life?
Is going self-employed the best route to workplace wellbeing?
Have you ever stared out the window at work and wished you were somewhere else? Or been stuck on the morning commute and thought to yourself: “There’s got to be a better way to make a living”?
You’re not alone.
In fact, according to the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, more and more of us are turning our backs on the traditional 9 to 5 and breaking into the world of self-employment.
Once the preserve of small set of trades and occupations, self-employment now accounts for one in seven of all UK workers.
Self-employment is also often thought to be the so-called Promised Land for workers and an escape route to ‘the Good Life’ – better health, more time with family, greater independence and freedom.
So we wanted to take a look at the new working habits of self-employed people in the UK, and find out which of them are living the Good Life at work.
The Good Life Workers
AXA surveyed* 400 self-employed workers and small business owners in the UK and found four new self-employed lifestyle groups: The School Runner, The Cottage Artisan, The Office Escapee, and The Modern Tradesman. And while not everyone will see themselves reflected in these groups, they do reveal a lot about modern self-employed working habits.
We’ve traced how their working lifestyles impact their lives, families, and their overall health and wellbeing. So click below to explore the workers, their workplace wellbeing, and find out who’s living the Good Life in the UK workforce.
The School Runner
32yo F | 8st 7lb | 5ft 4in
Monthly Salary
£754
Working Day
5hrs
Average BMI
25
Daily Activity
30%
Suffering Work-related Stress
11%
#1 Health Benefit
Improved mental health
Health Risks
Headaches
and
migraines
The Cottage Artisan
42yo M | 12st 4lb | 5ft 10in
Monthly Salary
£927
Working Day
9.5hrs
Average BMI
25
Daily Activity
44%
Suffering Work-related Stress
16%
#1 Health Benefit
Improved
diet
Health Risks
Anxiety,
dermatitis
and migraines
The Office Escapee
44yo F | 11st 6lb | 5ft 4in
Monthly Salary
£1,779
Working Day
10hrs
Average BMI
26.5
Daily Activity
15%
Suffering Work-related Stress
15%
#1 Health Benefit
Happier, more family time
Health Risks
Obesity, back and joint pain and eye strain
More infoThe Modern Tradesman
55yo M | 14st 10lb | 6ft 1in
Monthly Salary
£1,580
Working Day
8.5hrs
Average BMI
26
Daily Activity
82%
Suffering Work-related Stress
8%
#1 Health Benefit
Improved fitness, lower stress
Health Risks
Smoking, high blood pressure, back and joint pain
More infoThe School Runner
32yo F | 8st 7lb | 5ft 4in
£754
5hrs
25
30%
11%
Improved mental health
Headaches and migraines
The Cottage Artisan
42yo M | 12st 4lb | 5ft 10in
£927
9.5hrs
25
44%
16%
Improved diet
Anxiety, dermatitis and migranes
The Office Escapee
32yo F | 8st 7lb | 5ft 4in
£1,779
10hrs
26.5
15%
15%
Happier, more family time
Obesity, back and joint pain and eye strain
The Modern Tradesman
32yo F | 8st 7lb | 5ft 4in
£1,580
8.5hrs
26
82%
8%
Improved fitness, lower stress
Smoking, high blood pressure, back and joint pain
Swipe right for more
Key:
Monthly Salary
Working Day
Average BMI
Daily Activity
Suffering Work-related Stress
#1 Health Benefit
Health Risks
Highest/Lowest
^Above figures sourced from AXA research.
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Download PDF*Survey of 400 small business owners conducted October 2017