A large proportion of workers feel they have too much work to be able to move around during the working day, with chronic stress and anxiety becoming increasingly prevalent, according to a new report supported by CIMSPA (The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity). Despite growing health issues linked with consistently spending too much time seated, the report claims that over half of workers remain sedentary for eight hours or more during the working day.

While a large majority (86 percent) of workers feel they have too much work to move around enough during their working day, more than one in three workers (34 percent) are afraid to leave their desks in case people think they are not working. Nearly two thirds (63 percent) of workers only go outside for ten minutes or less during the course of their working day.

With NHS figures estimating adults spend around nine hours sedentary in a full day including at home and travelling, the authors of the report claim these new findings show the true extent of the sedentary issue in the workplace.

Certain studies have shown that people who spend long periods of time sitting have been found to have higher rates of type 2 diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure, some types of cancer, cardiovascular disease and even death. What’s more, this lack of physical activity is costing the UK an estimated £7.4 billion a year.

It isn’t just the physical issues the UK workforce is facing either. Multiple respondents reported feelings of increased stress (81 percent) and anxiety (75 percent), while a staggering 89 percent said their productivity is significantly impacted by tiredness and a lack of energy. According to the findings, 65 percent of workers feel wellbeing is a priority for their leadership teams, while 72 percent want to move more during the day.

Want to know more about what can be done to address these issues? Check out the Sedus advice on maximising wellbeing with a well designed and managed workstation.