A study from The Gut Stuff, a health startup company, shows that many are concerned with returning to work as they’ll have to readjust their bowel patterns.
The Gut Stuff conducted a survey and asked 2,000 United Kingdom adults and found that 18% of them are most concerned about using the bathroom at work. It’s even more common for workers in the UK to leave the office and seek somewhere ‘more peaceful’ to pop a squat – 53% of those surveyed said they do this.
What’s more alarming is the amount of people that will hold their movements all day – 18%! The same percentage said they’ll leave the office and return home if they need to visit the porcelain throne.
When comparing men to women, 67% of women said they weren’t comfortable using the restroom at work at all for their bowel movements, which could be because women are also thought to be disproportionately affected by Parcopresis, which is a social anxiety condition also referred to as shy bowel syndrome.
So what can employers do in order to make their employees feel more comfortable using their facilities while at work? Founders of The Gut Stuff told Refinery 29 that it’s “vital for employers to try and help break the loo taboo.” The pair suggested sparking a conversation to address the subject or get interactive with an office poll. “It’s so much more than feeling embarrassed – employers have a responsibility to make sure their team’s health and wellbeing is supported in the back-to-work transition, and that absolutely includes encouraging people to go, when they need to go.”
Everybody poops. Do your bowels a favor and go when they tell you it’s time to!