Education sector workers over 2.5 times more active than average Brit at work

Mental demands of the job aside, working in education can be intense to say the least. Education workers are often reported to work well beyond their contracted hours, and retention rates are declining: in 2022, workforce data showed a record rate of teacher departures in England, with 40,000 quitting the sector.

Despite ever-increasing workloads within the sector, new research from workplace safety experts Altro has found that 81% of education workers in the UK say that the time they spend on their feet at work has a positive effect on their mental health –  the most of any industry surveyed.

This figure comes as part of a new piece of research from Altro which saw them survey workers across various non-desk-based industries to see where people were spending the most time on their feet at work, as well as the physical effects manual work takes on these workers.

The new research also reveals that education workers are more than two and a half times (2.73) more active at work than the average Brit, with an average of 9,559 steps in a single shift – compared to the average person’s 3,500 (3,000-4,000 is the average in the UK according to previous NHS figures).

Over the course of a career, education workers clock up roughly 90,717,947 steps on their working days – or around 40,634 miles. That’s enough to take a casual stroll down the full length of the world’s longest river, the River Nile in Egypt – nearly TEN times.

When it comes to the mental health affects the length of time spent on their feet during their shift, interestingly, nearly 4 in 5 (79%) education workers say they think it has a positive effect.

Despite the majority of education workers reporting the time spent on their feet at work has a positive effect on their mental health, Altro’s research uncovered a common theme with those in the education sector missing out on exercise, social events and even consulting medical advice as a result of their physical jobs. Full details below:

What are the knock-on effects of having a physical job?

It’s always important to ensure a solid work-life balance, but Altro’s research found that more than half (53%) of education workers say they regularly skip out on recreational activities such as hobbies or meeting up with friends as a result of being tired from work. Another 44% of education workers told Altro that they regularly leave social events early because of this.

While most education workers think that their physical activity at work has a positive effect on their mental wellbeing, there were some clear physical wellbeing issues:

• More than 4 in 5 (82%) say that they don’t drink as much water as they should when at work – the most of any industry.

• However, 58% of education workers say they drink caffeinated drinks to ‘keep them going’ at work.

• 45% say they often skip meals at work because they’re too busy with other work tasks.

• More than half (55%) say they also regularly skip out on exercise because they’re tired from work.

Physical health is important, and Altro’s study found that many education workers reported experiencing some negative physical aches and pains as a result of their job, with nearly 1 in 5 (18%) taking time off work due to work related pains or injuries. What’s more:

• Almost two-thirds (65%) say they rarely get the chance to sit down during their shifts.

• Almost half (48%) say they experience frequent back pain as a result of their job.

• More than a third (36%) say they have frequent foot pain.

• 1 in 8 (12%) say they have slipped or tripped while working.

Which industries are spending the most time on their feet – and how does this compare to the average person?

We’ve all heard of the 10,000 steps a day rule, but previous NHS figures show that the average person in the UK only walks between 3,000-4,000 steps per day.

Sarah de los Rios, Sales and Marketing Director at Altro, comments: “Our study found that while education workers in the UK recognise the positive effects movement at work can have on their mental well-being, there is a concerning number of workers experiencing physical strain because of the nature of their role.

“Movement at work often can’t be helped, but physical strain can, and employers have a duty to equip their employees with safe environments to mitigate any potential accidents. Employers can do this by implementing safety technology or features to provide peace of mind for their workers.

“At Altro, our team is dedicated to doing just that with our safety flooring solutions ensuring the chances of workers slipping or tripping are reduced to literally one in a million.”