Nearly one in three employees in the South West do not clearly feel supported by their employer during periods of work-related stress or illness. This is according to new research commissioned by employee health assessment provider Verve Healthcare.
The study, which surveyed 2,000 employees and 500 HR leaders and business managers across the UK, highlights both progress and challenges in how organisations respond to workplace health.
Just 57% of people in the South West say they feel supported when experiencing workplace health challenges.
With 15% of employees feeling unsupported and a further 15% unsure, nearly a third do not report clear or consistent support when facing stress and health issues.
Based on an estimated 2.8 million employees in the South West, this suggests that approximately 840,000 people may not feel they receive reliable help when they need it.
Encouragingly, almost a quarter (23%) of employers in the broader South region claim they intervene early, before absence occurs. However, 7% admit to not stepping in to support their workforce at all, reinforcing concerns that support is inconsistent.
The data suggests that while many organisations aim to prevent issues from escalating, Verve warns that employees must feel this support.
Steven Pink, CEO of Verve Healthcare, commented:
“There are positive signs. Many employers in the South West are trying to act early, and that’s a crucial first step. But the data shows there’s still a gap between intention and experience.
“Too many employees are either not feeling supported or are stuck in the middle, unsure where they stand. That uncertainty can be just as damaging as no support at all.”
Steven Pink added:
“The health assessment industry has spent decades handing out reports instead of solutions. That model is broken. Employees don’t need another PDF telling them they’re unwell; they need a clear pathway to treatment and someone who actually follows through.”
Despite some progress, Verve says many organisations still react too late and urges employers to rethink how they manage employee health:
- Support must be proactive, not reactive.
- Health assessments must provide pathways, not paperwork.
- Employees must feel human-to-human connection, not corporate box-ticking.
- Businesses must prioritise clinical expertise over generic wellbeing initiatives.
Through initiatives such as its Great British Health Check, an employee health assessment designed to identify risks early and connect individuals with clear routes to further care, Verve is attempting to put the focus on early intervention.
Steven Pink said:
“The South West has a highly skilled workforce. If businesses here want to retain talent, they can’t afford to wait for stress to turn into sickness. They need to understand that prevention is a productivity strategy.”
[1] ONS regional labour market statistics and employee estimates (latest available data)
