Nuffield Health study reveals Leeds, Plymouth, and London have the best working-lives in the UK

A good working life can be demonstrated through job roles which provide security, decent incomes, enhanced social networks and which give an individual purpose. Combined, these factors are vital for supporting and improving the physical and mental wellbeing of your workforce.

Nuffield Health’s 2023 ‘Healthier Nation Index’ - a survey of 8,000 UK adults - has highlighted which cities and industries have the best ‘working lives’. Leeds is in first place, with 44 percent saying they enjoyed their time at work the most. Leeds was closely followed by Plymouth (43.59%) and London (42.26%).

These findings are especially pertinent during this year’s National Work Life Week, which is an opportunity for both employers and employees to focus on well-being at work. 

TOP TEN CITIES WITH THE BEST WORKING LIVES

RANK	CITY	% RATING THEIR WORKING LIVES AS ‘GOOD
1	LEEDS	44.02
2	PLYMOUTH	43.59
3	LONDON	42.26
4	SHEFFIELD	42.17
5	BRISTOL	41.60
6	EDINBURGH	41.32
7	GLASGOW	40.36
8	LIVERPOOL	40.32
9	NORWICH	40.06
10	NEWCASTLE	39.11

It’s hard to pin down what Leeds’ buzzing hive of workers are most attracted to in the city. Maybe it’s Leeds’ growing creative and tech scenes? Its low cost of living? Or its proximity to the beautiful Yorkshire dales. PwC’s Good Growth for Cities Index also shows Leeds out-performed the UK average on delivering against the public’s priority of work-life balance.

Nuffield Health’s Healthier Nation Index supports these findings, as Leeds workers report some of the best social lives of the cities studied, with 40.41 percent reporting theirs as ‘good’. This was higher than the overall average of 39 percent. The city reporting the best social lives overall is Nottingham (44%).

Those who work in Leeds also said work had the least negative impact on their physical health, with 37 percent saying it had a negative impact. Leeds also reports its financial health as one of the best of the cities studied (joint with London), with 33 percent claiming theirs as ‘good’. Scottish cities reported the best financial wellness with 33.73 percent of Glaswegians and 33.83 percent of those in Edinburgh claiming their financial health as ‘good’.

In contrast cities which rate their working life as the poorest are Cardiff (37.01%) and Manchester (37.04%).

Industries with the best working lives are Architecture, Engineering & Building (AE&B) (58%), Finance (56%) and IT (54%).

TOP TEN INDUSTRIES WITH THE BEST WORKING LIVES

RANK	INDUSTRY	% RATING THEIR WORKING LIVES AS ‘GOOD
1	ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING & BUILDING	57.52
2	FINANCE	55.53
3	I.T & TELECOMS	54.20
4	ARTS & CULTURE	49.55
5	EDUCATION	49.40
6	MANUFACTURING & UTILITIES	48.71
7	LEGAL	47.96
8	HR	46.99
9	SALES, MEDIA & MARKETING	46.91
10	HEALTHCARE	46.54

In AE&B you’re likely to be involved in building projects from start to finish. These roles often produce a significant, tangible product, which studies show contributes to feelings of increased job satisfaction.

According to the Healthier Nation Index, those who work in AE&B are also one of the least likely industries to have their mental health negatively impacted by their work. 38 percent said work negatively impacted their mental health, which was the second least impacted industry. The industry which reports the lowest impact on its mental health is HR (37%).

Industries with the worst working lives are Travel and Transport (41%) and Retail, Catering & Leisure (RC&L) (42%)

A recent study found almost half of travel and transportation employees feel their job has negatively impacted their health. The survey also showed 57 percent of employees in these sectors regularly do unpaid overtime, with a fifth working more than five hours overtime a week. Those who work in RC&L often report their roles as challenging due to low pay and difficult customers.

Both RC&L and Travel and Transport reported the lowest scores of the industries studied for their social lives, suggesting it is harder for those in these industries to maintain good social lives while working in these roles. Only 36 percent of those working in RC&L reported their social lives as ‘good’ and for Travel and Transport it was even lower at 33 percent.

Financial health for these two categories is also the lowest with only 26 percent of those in RC&L and 23 percent of those in Travel and Transport reporting theirs as ‘good’.

Marc Holl, Head of Primary Care at Nuffield Health commented: “We are passionate about building a healthier nation and know that challenging work environments can have a huge knock-on effect on both physical and mental wellbeing.

“It’s essential businesses foster a culture where employees can excel both at work and in their personal lives and National Work-Life Week serves as a reminder of the positive impact it has on employees' lives.

“Positive working environments - which provide physical and mental wellbeing support, healthy salaries, job security and work-life balance - are an essential component of a thriving organisation”.

Marc offers six top tips on how employees can enhance their working lives below.

#1 Speak to your boss.

The first step is to evaluate your work environment and what you’re struggling most with when it comes to your workload. If you feel like there are individual factors like unrealistic deadlines, unmanageable workloads or the company culture is not providing enough support, make a list of these issues and schedule time for a call or a meeting with your manager to address these concerns.

#2 Know your rights.

If you find your boss less than sympathetic, be aware of the specific regulations your company should adhere to. If you think these aren’t being met, it might be time to speak to a member of HR.

For example; The European Court of Justice has just ruled employersmust take steps to make sure their staff are not exceeding the 48-hour maximum working week and are able to take adequate rest breaks, whether they are working from home or in the office.

#3 Trust your team.

Trust your colleagues and co-workers to do the jobs they are trained to do. If you’re a manager, encourage open communication and offer support when needed. Provide guidance to employees in relation to remote working. 

Make a conscious effort not to micromanage, but share calendars among each other, which can help teams feel more structured and know when to ‘clock off’. Employees should agree set clear hours they will be contactable with a boss or team, so no one feels isolated.

#4 Schedule downtime

Learning to turn off worries requires a concentrated effort, but certain practical and psychological techniques can help. Take up hobbies, catch up with friends on the phone and learn to relax with stress management techniques like meditation and mindfulness.

#5 Don’t add time to your day.

If you’re working from home, don’t automatically use the time you would normally be commuting to add more work to your day. Think about how you can use that time for your own wellbeing and enjoyment. Avoid working through your lunchbreak too.

#6 Use workplace support

If you think your mental health is being seriously affected, make use of your work’s wellbeing offerings.

Many businesses provide support for stress and personal problems through employee assistance programmes (EAPs) or cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

EAPS offer direct, confidential contact with experts who can support individuals with emotional distress, from family issues, work-related problems, addiction, and mental ill-health. 

You can see more findings from Nuffield Health’s latest Healthier Nation Index here.