ANDOVER, England, March 4, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- A recent survey of the nation's employees carried out by healthcare provider Simplyhealth has revealed that one in two UK staff say their mental and physical wellbeing was ignored by their employer during the economic downturn. A similar number - over 45% - also say that they will start looking for a new job now that the market is showing signs of recovery.

This may come as a surprise to most employers, as those surveyed as part of Simplyhealth's Bothered Britain report showed that although the majority (52%) agree that they have been too focused on surviving the recession to worry about employee wellbeing, three-quarters (75%) of those questioned did not expect their workforce to be looking for employment elsewhere.

It seems that businesses may face an uphill struggle to retain staff this year as the job market recovers, unless changes are made in their approach to workers' wellbeing. Almost half (47%) of the employers surveyed said that the threat of job losses has led to stress for their staff, and a third (33%) agree that the development of a 'work all hours' culture has had a further impact of the health of the nation's workforce.

Medical expert Dr Christian Jessen, says: The recession has been a difficult time for employers and employees alike and may well have led to increased incidents of workplace stress. Even short periods of stress can have effects on your wellbeing, with many associated health problems. Employees who feel valued and looked after are far more likely to stay in their jobs and to work harder, leading to a healthier, happier workplace.

Jamie Wilson, spokesperson for Simplyhealth, says: Businesses have understandably been under a considerable strain over the past months, but it is clear from our research that employee wellbeing needs to be high on the agenda for employers, especially now that we are out of a recession. Employers can show that they are bothered about their staff in a variety of ways, including making efforts to ensure regular communication, providing benefits, such as healthcare and trying to ensure a positive, enjoyable atmosphere in the workplace. Small steps such as these can have a big impact on an employee's overall health and wellbeing, and help to ensure key talent is retained.

Simplyhealth provides a variety of health plans, which help towards the cost of check-ups, treatment and emergencies, helping people budget for the costs of expected and unexpected healthcare. It also has a specialist Simplyhealth store that offers mobility and daily living aids.

For further information on Simplyhealth please bother us on +44(0)800-072-6715 or log onto http://www.simplyhealth.co.uk. In a world where so many people can't be bothered, Simplyhealth is proud to be a company that can, to find out how log onto http://www.wecanbebothered.co.uk.

Notes to Editor

- Previously known as HSA, BCWA, LHF, HealthSure and Totally Active, our family of health companies have joined together over the Last 8 years to form Simplyhealth - At Simplyhealth, we have been providing healthcare solutions for nearly 140 years, dedicated to serving our customers through a variety of cash plans, dental plans, private medical insurance, healthcare trusts and mobility and living aids - Simplyhealth is a trading name of Simplyhealth Access, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority - As of December 2009, Simplyhealth had 1.3 million customers providing cover for some 2.3 million people - Simplyhealth is committed in its constitution to making a positive impact on its communities. Each year, we help health related charities and causes to the tune of at least GBP1million

SOURCE: Simplyhealth

CONTACT: For further information on this story, please contact McKennaTownsend PR on +44(0)1425-472330 or email: Nikki Hainenikki@mckennatownsendpr.com; Nicola Holder nicola@mckennatownsendpr.com;Emily Wilson emily@mckennatownsendpr.com. For further information onSimplyhealth please contact: Abby Bowman, Senior Brand and PR Manager+44(0)1264-342561; Caroline Lakeman, Public Relations Manager+44(0)1264-342570; Rebecca Jeremy, Public Relations Assistant+44(0)1264-342400 Or pr@simplyhealth.co.uk