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Employees feel healthier if treated fairly

New study links health to being treated fairly at work

Employees who feel they are treated fairly at work report better health, according to University of East Anglia researchers.

Researchers looked at 5,800 people working in Sweden to see whether issues such as rewards, pay, promotion and assignments are related to employees’ health.

As well as rating their health on a scale from one to five, participants were asked about the extent they agreed or disagreed with statements including their employer hearing ‘the concerns of all those affected by the decision’ and providing ‘opportunities to appeal or challenge the decision’.

University of East Anglia lecturer in organisational behaviour Constanze Eib said: ‘There may be things that can be done to improve perceptions of fairness at work. For example, making sure people feel their views are considered, they are consulted about changes and that decisions are made in an unbiased way.

‘People who feel fairly treated are not only more likely to be motivated at work and go the extra mile for their organisation, but they are also more likely to be healthy, have an active lifestyle and feel positive.’