Financial services workers spend the least amount of time outside than any other industry and are potentially at risk of vitamin D deficiency, spending just 34 minutes outdoors during a day, according to new research.
Bankers, accountants and bookkeepers are amongst the UK’s most outdoor-starved job roles, according to a survey of 2,000 UK workers carried out by outdoor furniture e-tailer, Alfresia.co.uk.
Those working in the city are most likely to work long hours, with some offices providing gyms and other onsite facilities meaning workers do not have to venture outside for the majority of the day.
In contrast, those working in the construction industry spend the most amount of time outside – 303 minutes per day on average.
Healthcare workers (48 minutes), information technology (IT) professionals (52 minutes), retail employees (71 minutes), and hospitality professionals (88 minutes) followed in second, third, fourth and fifth places in the list of workers who experienced the least amount of time outdoors during a working day.
Two thirds (64 per cent) say the amount of time they spent outdoors during the working week affected their mood and temperament.
More than a third (35 per cent) of British workers say the amount of time they spent outdoors was a factor when applying for jobs.
Nic Jones, head of digital at Alfresia.co.uk says, ‘The amount of time we spend outdoors of course varies from industry to industry and role to role, not just due to the nature of the actual work and working environment but also due to the hours worked, clearly those in the financial sector have heavy workloads and the vast majority is desk-based.
‘However, it is great to see those in construction enjoy an extended amount of time surrounded by mother nature. Those that are not as fortunate to have much time outdoors during their working day should take regular breaks from screens or equipment and make the effort to venture outdoors during their lunch break.
‘Workplaces should encourage their staff to embrace the outdoors as much as possible while completing their jobs. Fresh air and sunshine has proven health benefits as well as boosting staff morale.’
Further reading on working outdoors
