Skip navigation

Gloucestershire Business News

World Mental Health Day: Hidden health implications of self-employment

With World Mental Health Day taking place tomorrow (10th October), new research has revealed that the pressure of running a business affects the mental health of many of the UK's self-employed workers.

In a survey of nearly 600 UK freelancers and small business owners by cloud accounting company FreeAgent, 73 per cent said they believed their health had been put under strain at some point as a result of running their own business.

One in ten respondents felt only their physical health had been adversely affected from running a business, while a quarter said that it was only their mental health which had suffered. More than a third (38 per cent) of respondents said that they believed both their mental and physical health had been put under strain.

The research also suggests that long working hours may be a factor, with 38 per cent of respondents revealing that they typically work more than 48 hours per week, and seven per cent saying they work more than 64 hours a week.

But the survey also showed that majority of small business owners remain positive about their choice to go solo - with 81 per cent saying they would recommend self-employment as a career and 60 per cent saying that, in general, they felt that their mental health had actually improved overall as a result of running their own business.

Ed Molyneux, CEO and co-founder of FreeAgent, said: "Running a business can be a very rewarding experience that allows people to follow their passions. However, it can can also be incredibly frustrating and time-consuming - usually because you spend a lot of time on your own, having to troubleshoot difficult issues and deal with tedious admin.

"While it's certainly positive to see how many people would recommend self-employment as a career to others, it's enlightening to see how stark the reality of working for yourself can be when you scratch under the surface. For many self-employed people it means working very long hours, with the pressure of maintaining their ventures having a noticeable effect on their health.

"The fact that that nearly three quarters of respondents to our survey said that they've felt that their mental or physical health has been put under strain as a result of running their business is especially concerning. This suggests that either there is not enough support available for these self-employed people, or they are unsure about where, or who, to seek help from when they need it.

"Working for yourself should be an uplifting experience that enables you to be the master of your own destiny - not one that is detrimental to your health and wellbeing. Clearly more needs to be done to ensure that the UK's legion of freelancers and small business owners can protect themselves from any mental or physical health problems that arise from self-employment in the future."

What do you think? Email mark@moosemarketingandpr.co.uk 

Related Articles

Versarien's revenues halve and losses rise Image

Versarien's revenues halve and losses rise

Forest of Dean-based advanced engineering group Versarien saw its revenues halve last year.

Gloucestershire company launches same-day service Image

Gloucestershire company launches same-day service

Gloucester-based Freemans Event Partners has launched a brand-new around-the-clock foodservice logistics offer.

Gloucester business expands at Elmbridge Court Image

Gloucester business expands at Elmbridge Court

Just three offices are now available for rent at Elmbridge Court, following the latest letting.

Cirencester town centre to deliver improved parking Image

Cirencester town centre to deliver improved parking

Better parking and traffic control improvements for Cirencester residents and businesses.

Copyright 2024 Moose Partnership Ltd. All rights reserved. Reproduction of any content is strictly forbidden without prior permission.