# Employer Expectations And Technology Causing Health Deficit Amongst Employees Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2018-04-26 Category: LIFESTYLE Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/lifestyle Meta Title: New Research: Brits Rely on Caffeine & Sugar to Get Through Working Week Meta Description: New research uncovers Brits turning to caffeine and sugar to cope with demanding work schedules. Discover the impact on health and wellbeing in our latest URL: https://financedigest.com/employer-expectations-and-technology-causing-health-deficit-amongst-employeeshtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/fd260418-2-1736842805349-compressed.jpg) **_New research reveals Brits rely on caffeine and sugar to get through the working week_** Early starts, late nights and emails being sent around the clock – our jobs are becoming more demanding due to technology and employer expectations. New research [\[3\]](https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/#m_8083777444149584599__ftn3) from British Summer Fruits, the industry body that represents 98 per cent of all berries supplied to UK supermarkets, reveals that on average employees are working an extra 30 hours a month unpaid. However, people are now too busy to put their own health and well-being first. Research shows that we rely on caffeine and sugar to get through the working day – 53 per cent drink strong coffee for an [energy boost](https://www.financedigest.com/energy-stocks-boost-european-shares-ahead-of-ecb-minutes.html "Energy stocks boost European shares ahead of ECB minutes"), 27 per cent snack on sweets and 14 per cent have energy drinks. **The research of 1,000 full-time employees by [British Summer Fruits](https://www.financedigest.com/looks-arent-everything-british-supermarkets-to-stock-misshapen-fruit-amid-drought.html "Looks aren’t everything – British supermarkets to stock misshapen fruit amid drought") also found that:** - **64 per cent [say work](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-minister-says-government-will-work-with-obr-on-economic-forecasts.html "UK minister says government will work with OBR on economic forecasts") has affected their sleep patterns** - **A quarter (25 per cent) admit if they wake up in the night they will do work to ease their workload the [next day](https://www.financedigest.com/markforged-announces-the-metal-x-gen-2-next-day-metal-and-the-x7-field-edition.html "Markforged Announces the Metal X Gen 2, Next Day Metal, and the X7 Field Edition"), and millennials are more likely to do so than other generations** - **Nearly 1 in 5 (17 per cent) would [fear for their job](https://www.financedigest.com/wall-street-muted-on-jobs-growth-as-inflation-delta-fears-weigh.html "Wall Street muted on jobs growth as inflation, Delta fears weigh") if they didn’t check and reply to emails after normal working hours** Nearly 30 per cent of [people say](https://www.financedigest.com/britain-says-6000-more-people-needed-for-trial-of-merck-covid-pill.html "Britain says 6,000 more people needed for trial of Merck COVID pill") they don’t have enough downtime. Whether employer expectations or a [change in lifestyle and technology](https://www.financedigest.com/how-technology-has-changed-our-lives.html "How Technology has Changed Our Lives") are to blame, it is evident that few people work just 9-5 and many are struggling to keep up with the higher demands, resorting to a quick fix in order to get through the day. 61 per cent admit their reliance on caffeine makes it harder to switch off when they get [home from the office](https://www.financedigest.com/cavai-tests-innovative-new-approach-for-the-home-offices-parentwise-pilot-campaign-helping-parents-and-carers-in-the-west-midlands.html "Cavai tests innovative new approach for the Home Office’s ‘ParentWise’ pilot campaign helping parents and carers in the West Midlands"). Public Health Nutritionist and spokesperson for British Summer Fruits, Dr Emma Derbyshire, said: “This research paints a [bleak picture](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-retail-sales-jump-unexpectedly-but-big-picture-bleak.html "UK retail sales jump unexpectedly, but big picture bleak") for British workers. “Whilst the [advancement of technology](https://www.financedigest.com/the-automotive-interior-materials-market-to-undergo-decisive-technological-advancements.html "The Automotive Interior Materials Market To Undergo Decisive Technological Advancements") has helped us in our professional careers, it also means we are contactable 24 /7 and for many it makes the ability to switch off very hard. “We [spend such a huge proportion of our lives](https://www.financedigest.com/cost-of-living-crisis-consumers-keep-spending-for-now.html "Cost of living crisis? Consumers keep spending for now") at work anyway, it’s depressing to hear that so many professionals are having to work until the early hours of the morning in order to catch-up on their heavy work-load. Relying on caffeinated drinks and sugary [foods to keep](https://www.financedigest.com/food-inflation-tight-grain-oilseed-supplies-to-keep-prices-elevated.html "Food inflation: Tight grain, oilseed supplies to keep prices elevated") us going is compounding the issue, making it harder for us all to switch off. With new research [shedding light](https://www.financedigest.com/below-a-pyramid-a-treasure-trove-sheds-new-light-on-ancient-mexican-rites.html "Below a pyramid, a treasure trove sheds new light on ancient Mexican rites") that berries can keep you going for up to six hours with no adverse side effects, we think they offer a great-tasting alternative to caffeine and sugar.” A recent study carried out by the University of Reading [\[4\]](https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/#m_8083777444149584599__ftn4) revealed that eating strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries can improve reaction times, stabilise mood and keep us focused, as well as sustaining cognitive function for hours after consumption, instead of caffeinated drinks and sugary foods. This is particularly important considering [nearly half](https://www.financedigest.com/meta-to-take-nearly-half-of-sales-made-by-its-metaverse-creators-as-fees.html "Meta to take nearly half of sales made by its metaverse creators as fees") of people (44 per cent) admit to sending work emails between 11pm and 6am, and one in ten fears for their job if they don’t respond promptly to emails. Seventeen per cent admit they work in the evenings because there is a culture of working long hours. Dr Emma Derbyshire continues: “Berries are the ideal afternoon snack to give you energy and keep you alert and concentrating for many hours after consumption. It’s [important that people fuel](https://www.financedigest.com/indias-reliance-makes-rare-buy-of-russian-naphtha-ups-fuel-oil-imports.html "India’s Reliance makes rare buy of Russian naphtha, ups fuel oil imports") up in the correct way to ensure they feel energised for the whole day, without having to rely on caffeine and sugar.” --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---