The fifth annual I Care Employee Wellness Survey, which ran throughout June and July of 2024, and included input from hundreds of people from the commercial interiors industry, revealed some interesting trends regarding employee well-being. This annual survey provides an opportunity for individuals to complete a self-assessment of their overall well-being and highlighted a number of important insights – including new perspective on employee mental health, physical health, and details on preferred workplace well-being investments.
A variety of roles, organizations, and levels of experience within the industry were represented:
56% Dealers
12% Manufacturers
9% A&D Firms
6% Independent Rep Group
14% Consultants
3% Other positions in the Industry
Generational Breakdown of Survey Respondents:
Generation | % |
Gen Z | 9% |
Millennials | 33% |
Gen X | 37% |
Baby Boomers | 19% |
Traditionalists/Silent Generation | 2% |
The Way We Work - 2024
Insight: In 2024, 25% of respondents are working remotely, vs. 60% in 2023.
When asked the question, “Which of the following best describes your CURRENT working situation?”
42% confirmed that they are working “some hours remotely and some hours in my employer's facility” (vs. 34% in 2023)
33% confirmed; “I am working entirely on-site at my employer's facility” (vs. 14% in 2023)
Survey Highlights:
Self-Reported Mental Health has Declined Over the Last 12-Months
When asked, “How would you describe your mental health over the past 12 months, on average?”
48% of respondents reported that their mental health was either ‘Excellent’ or ‘Very Good’. This is down from last year’s survey result (66%). 32% of respondents said their mental health was ‘good’, 15% said their mental health was ‘fair’, and 5% said their mental health was ‘poor’.
When asked, “What areas of your health would you like to improve?” we saw a shift in survey respondents’ intentions regarding their mental health goals vs. previous years:
38% said, “Reduce my stress and anxiety” (an increase from last year’s results of 35%)
27% said, “Enhance the quality of my sleep” (an increase from last year’s result of 18%)
21% said, “Improve my mental health to feel happier” (this has decreased from last year’s result of 27%)
Insight: 59% of survey respondents said that work “very positively” or “somewhat positively” contributed to their mental health. 37% of respondents said that work “somewhat or very negatively” contributed to their mental health.
When asked, “Work can have its ups and downs. What level of contribution does work have towards your mental and emotional health?”
18% of respondents said that work ‘very positively contributed to their mental and emotional health’, with 41% saying that it somewhat positively contributed to their mental and emotional health’.
37% of respondents reported that work ‘somewhat’ or ‘very negatively’ contributes to their mental and emotional health. This number has worsened from 16% in 2023 and from 23% in 2022.
Movement in the Workspace Has Worsened Over the Last 12 Months
When asked; “How would you describe your movement in your workspace on average over the past 12 months?”
56% of survey respondents described their movement in their workspace as either ‘excellent’ or ‘good’. This number has declined over the 2023 results (68% of respondents described their movement as either excellent or good).
In 2024, 32% of respondents described their movement as ‘fair’, and 11% described their movement as ‘poor’.
Insight: More than half of respondents said they want to become more physically active and/or exercise more regularly. This is a significant increase over the previous year’s result of 29% in 2023.
We asked, “What areas of your health would you like to improve?”
47% of respondents selected, “improve my diet and/or lose weight. This is an increase from 35%, which was reported in 2023.
Spine Health Has Improved
42% of survey respondents said they are currently experiencing back or neck pain, a significant decrease from last year’s results (75%), and the previous year’s results (77% in 2022). When asked the question; “Has your back and/or neck pain worsened over the last year?” 57% of people said “Yes” (which has improved from 77% in 2023). This may be due to the shift in generational demographics represented vs. previous years.
Clarity at Work
79% of respondents agreed with the statement: “I have clarity on what is expected of me at work”. 34% said they ‘Strongly Agreed’, 45% agreed. And 13% were neutral on the question. Only 5% of respondents selected ‘somewhat agree’.
How To Demonstrate Your Commitment to Well-being
When we asked the question, “How has your employer demonstrated their commitment to wellness over the last 12 months?” the following were the top answers:
Allows flexibility in ways of working.
Encourages and supports social gatherings with the team
Shares business strategy and annual plans so that employees understand their role in the overall strategy
Provides and/or supports a physical workspace that is supportive of all employees and workstyles. This may include private pods and/or spaces that support a neurodiverse workforce.
3 Ways to Improve Wellness in Your Workplace
With more than 50% of survey respondents confirming that they would like to exercise more and/or lose weight, this is a clear priority for employees in the commercial interiors industry. Identifying programs to support physical health and exercise would be a keyway to support employee health.
Flexibility continues to be king. The number one way that employees appreciate their company’s commitment to well-being is through providing flexible ways of working. To the extend that you can empower your teams to work in ways and spaces that bring out the best in them.
Invest in the Employee Experience. Find ways to bring your team together and socialize – and if you can weave healthy experiences into your social interactions, that is even better!
INDEAL Cares is committed to supporting employee well-being in the workplace and understanding and reporting on workplace wellness trends over time. We are here to provide tips and tools to help you continue to have meaningful conversations with your team about their well-being – including ways to improve recruitment, retention, and engagement within your organizations. Reach out to INDEAL Cares to learn more about how we can help you support employee health today.
Comments