Welcome to the Public Works blog.

Public Works is UNISON Scotland's campaign for jobs, services, fair taxation and the Living Wage. This blog will provide news and analysis on the delivery of public services in Scotland. We welcome comments and if you would like to contribute to this blog, please contact Kay Sillars k.sillars@unison.co.uk - For other information on what's happening in UNISON Scotland please visit our website.

Friday 6 June 2014

Intensified work culture leads to poor health

The health of employees in Scotland is being damaged by poor working habits like not taking a break, staying late and eating lunch at the desk, 'al-desko'.

A Scottish survey for the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) found:

- 17% work through their lunch every day
- 42% eat at their desk
- 17% leave their workplace at breaks
- 33% started earlier or finished later than their contracted hours every day.

Workers should be undertaking at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity, five times a week. The consequences of not doing so can be devastating, with many people suffering ill health and prolonged spells off work due to less active lifestyles.

Employers also need to take their responsibility seriously as intensified work cultures are partly to blame. These high levels of inactivity have a cost for businesses and public bodies, with high sickness absence and lower productivity.

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