World Wellbeing Day: Poles assess their wellbeing
World Wellbeing Day, celebrated annually on 8 September, is an excellent opportunity to take a closer look at what wellbeing is, how it fares among Poles and how different generations take care of their wellbeing both at work and in everyday life. Wellbeing is becoming an increasingly important aspect of modern life in the ongoing era of polycrisis.
What exactly is wellbeing? It is not merely the lack of disease or health problems. It is a holistic approach to life that includes a balanced diet, regular physical activity, healthy interpersonal relationships, job satisfaction, and the ability to cope with stress. In the face of increasing challenges, both in professional and private life, taking care of one’s wellbeing becomes crucial to achieving balance and happiness in life. In a study on the wellbeing of Poles conducted by infuture.institute on behalf of Benefit Systems, six elements of wellbeing in two areas – internal and external – were distinguished.
Internal areas of wellbeing:
- physical health – proper diet, adequate sleep, physical activity, health prevention time for oneself inner peace – living in accordance with one’s own beliefs, pursuing one’s passions, sense of meaning in life
- mental health – stress regulation, work-life balance, time for oneself
- inner peace – living in accordance with one’s own beliefs, pursuing one’s passions, sense of meaning in life
External areas of wellbeing related to the environment:
- comfort of life – financial independence, adequate housing conditions
- relations with others – interpersonal interactions, satisfaction from establishing relationships, sense of cultural belonging
- contact with nature – the influence of nature on wellbeing, accessibility and proximity to the natural world
Wellbeing among Poles
Poles are not among the happiest nations in the world. In the UN World Happiness Report, we rank 35th out of 143 countries taken into account. So how is our wellbeing doing? According to the “Wellbeing of Poles” report prepared by infuture.institute on behalf of Benefit Systems, as many as 60% of us assess our wellbeing as average or poor.
On the occasion of World Wellbeing Day, everyone can check their individual level of wellbeing by using the free Wellbeing Score survey available at https://badanie-dobrostanu.multilife.com.pl/.
In addition to an individual result that can be compared with the national average, each person who takes part in the survey will also receive personalised expert recommendations to help them take care of their wellbeing. What do Poles believe supports and what disrupts wellbeing?
Life satisfaction is primarily undermined by stress. Among the elements that support wellbeing, Polish residents mention financial independence (72%), good physical health (68%), a sense of security (64%), and mental health (63%).
Wellbeing in the eyes of different generations
Wellbeing, although a universal value, is perceived and implemented differently depending on generational affiliation.
Baby Boomers (born in 1946-1964): For Baby Boomers, wellbeing often means stability and security, connected both with the financial and health aspects. They value a traditional approach to health, focusing on regular visits to the doctor and taking care of their bodies through moderate physical activity. At work, they focus on loyalty and long-term commitments, which they believe translate into stability and peace of mind.
Generation X (born in 1965-1980): Often called the transition generation, it combines characteristics of both Baby Boomers and younger generations. Its representatives are more open to new technologies and health care methods, such as meditation or mindfulness, but at the same time attach importance to traditional values, such as work-life balance. For them wellbeing is the ability to maintain this balance and the flexibility to adapt to changing life conditions.
Generation Z (born in 1997-2010): They view wellbeing through the prism of work-life balance and taking care of mental health. They are more open to topics related to therapy, mental health and ecological lifestyle. Remote work and flexible working hours are crucial for them to be able to effectively manage their time and stress.
Employers support wellbeing
Wellbeing is increasingly common at work. Employers are keen to introduce benefits that help ensure the wellbeing of their workforce. This is not surprising, since low and very low wellbeing is most often experienced by people aged 35-44 – the core of the workforce (according to data from the Central Statistical Office, the average age of employees in Poland is now just over 42).
How we feel influences how we work and, therefore, the results the company that employs us achieves. Taking care of employee wellbeing also affects job satisfaction and reduces turnover.
– Gallup’s research clearly shows that people working in companies that care about their overall wellbeing admit that they are less likely to change jobs (69%) or be exposed to burnout (71%). As a result, employers are intensifying their activities and introducing tools to support wellbeing. The non-financial benefits market is also seeing the emergence of new, dedicated products that focus on comprehensive support for wellbeing in many areas and building resilience, such as the MultiLife programme developed in our company – a sister solution to the popular MultiSport cards – emphasises Emilia Rogalewicz, Management Board Member at Benefit Systems.
World Wellbeing Day is the perfect time to learn more about wellbeing, check our needs in this area and take care of our wellbeing comprehensively – at home and at work.
“The Wellbeing of Poles” report methodology: In the first stage of the research process, a quantitative survey was conducted on a representative sample of Poles (n = 1004). The survey was carried out using the CAWI method on the poznaj.to research panel, and includes summed indications (0, 1 – very low; 2, 3 – low; 4, 5, 6 – medium; 7, 8 – high; 9, 10 – very high). The survey was used to check what wellbeing means to Poles, what it consists of, what strengthens it, what counteracts it. The general level of wellbeing of Poles and the levels of care for individual areas of wellbeing were determined based on another quantitative survey conducted on a representative sample of Poles (n = 1,014). The survey was conducted by infuture.institute in cooperation with Benefit Systems.
Agnieszka Bemowska-Niewiarowska
Benefit Systems has been operating on the Polish market for over two decades and is one of the leaders in providing non-financial benefits that support employee wellbeing. The company is the creator of the MultiSport Programme, which enables physical activity in sports facilities throughout the country. Its portfolio also includes the MyBenefit cafeteria platform and the MultiLife wellbeing programme. For several years now, the company’s sports offer has been developed on foreign markets, including the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bulgaria, and Croatia. The Benefit Systems Group also operates fitness clubs (in Poland it is responsible for Fabryka Formy, FitFabric, Fitness Academy, Good Luck, Max-Gym, My Fitness Place, Saturn Fitness, StepONE, Total Fitness and Zdrofit networks). An important area of Benefit Systems activities is the promotion of an active lifestyle at every stage of life, which is why the company implements initiatives supporting physical activity of children, adults, and seniors, also as part of the MultiSport Foundation. Since 2018, Benefit Systems has been part of the global B Corp initiative, bringing together companies operating and engaging in solving the most important social problems. More information can be found at benefitsystems.pl/en.
