Launch of the UK Horticultural Industry Wellbeing Inquiry

Perennial, the charity dedicated to supporting people working in horticulture, is proud to announce the launch of its largest ever survey to gain insight into the situation of those working in the industry.

Building on the success of the 2021 Health and Wellbeing Survey, Perennial is calling on all people working in all sectors to take part in the 2024 survey because their views will really matter.

The charity wants to better understand people’s everyday lives, both at and outside work, and the pressures they may face – not only to develop its services, but also to inform others in the industry about the key issues and challenges facing them challenges.

The anonymous survey will run from May 17 to the end of June and is open to all horticultural sectors. The results will be analyzed and published at the University of Exeter, with the findings shared with industry this coming autumn.

For example, a key finding from 2021 was that 85% of people’s mental well-being was poor or below average. As a result, Perennial worked with key industry stakeholders to implement a successful Mental Health First Aid at Work program, which has seen almost 100 people trained in Mental Health First Aid across 11 sectors and 48 companies.

Not only has this increased the number of people in the industry already qualified to provide invaluable support to their colleagues on a daily basis, but it has also broadened the conversation and helped create a culture of positive mental wellbeing.

By sharing the survey results, Perennial aims to support and enable the industry to take proactive steps to address the identified challenges. Recognizing that not all problems can be solved alone, Perennial believes in taking a collaborative approach and working with the horticultural sector to drive positive change.

Julia Hayne, Perennial’s director of services, highlighted the importance of sector collaboration, stating: “The research will enable us to formulate more effective tools and support strategies to improve wellbeing now and in the future. This is another step towards realizing our vision of building a better future for people working in horticulture and their families.”

The survey is open to everyone who works in horticulture. We encourage everyone to take the time to complete the survey and share it with colleagues and friends from Friday, May 17, 2024.

Click here to take the survey

Source: perennial.org.uk