“When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life.”, so said Samuel Johnson in 1777, who was a great fan of the city and all it had to offer. But then, he didn’t have to put up with the crowded daily commute, unaffordable rents, the threat of terrorism, or the ‘rat race’ in general.
He would be shocked by the results of a recent survey, conducted by The Best You magazine, which reveals that over 80% of London workers are unhappy in their jobs, with only 17.6% of people being content in the workplace, with many of them blaming their unhappiness on bad management and bullying.
Worryingly, 29% of women and 25% of men admitted to suffering from depression, with most men refusing to seek professional help.
Bernardo Moya, CEO of The Best You magazine said: “It’s shocking that so many Londoners are unhappy in the place of work and need help. After all, it’s where most people spend the majority of their waking hours.”
“Men and women of all ages need to know that it is possible to make a change.It’s a common story that men don’t express their feelings as much as women and I am concerned by the number of men who say they are doing nothing about their depression.”
“Whilst depression can affect any of us, giving people – men and women – the tools to deal with life’s knocks is part of what The Best You is about.’he said.
The findings will be discussed at The Best You Expo at the ExCel in London next month, which will include seminars and workshops, as well as inspirational talks by speakers including Sir Clive Woodward.
Low morale, bullying, and incompetence are things that need to be nipped in the bud by management, but depression, which can lead to excessive levels of absenteeism requires open channels of communication, as well as an understanding management, possibly providing professional help to those who require it. Depression, however, as the report suggests, still remains a taboo subject in the workplace and sufferers fear being ridiculed, told to pull themselves together, or even sacked.
As London grows increasingly further from the idyll of Johnson’s imagination, it is up to companies to take a slightly more pastoral role with their employees as just living in the capital becomes ever more pressurised and work should be seen as a safe place to flourish, rather than something just to be endured.
