australia placed last in havas global wellness survey
A recent study conducted by Havas showed that out of the 19 countries that were surveyed about their levels of wellness, Australia came last. Now I find these results interesting, as other, well-regarded studies show Australia as being quite the cheerful group of people. But the difference is, the other studies took into account living standards. They looked at our freedoms and how much we earn on average and couldn’t help but come to the conclusion that Australians are incredibly lucky. This study simply looked at personal ratings of wellness.
Granted, only 7213 people out of 19 countries were surveyed so I’m sure that it wouldn’t be too difficult to poke holes in this study– I’m certainly not going to argue that it is anywhere close to proof of any kind. That is not what this article is about. However, despite being the “lucky country” and despite having unlimited access to food and clean water, the individuals being surveyed did answer that they were unhappy or, at least, not as happy as the individuals from the other countries surveyed. Sadly, many people I know would have answered exactly the same way. And what was interesting about the study was that when it came to happiness, Australia, the Netherlands and America were all ranked last, whereas those from Mexico, India and Columbia rated themselves as the happiest.
So why is this? Well as was brought up in the survey, both the men and women answered that they felt a lot of pressure about their physical health, with a lot of them particularly concerned about their weight. And this is not surprising. After all, the majority of us have been told through the media, and as a result, through our peers, that we are not good enough. That we need a certain body shape to be happy and healthy. We have grown up comparing ourselves to images so Photoshopped that they don’t even look human anymore. And this has been having a direct correlation on our self-rating of wellness. Because first world society tends to only focus on what they don’t have: the impossibility to achieve body shape. Of course this constant comparison and always wanting more is going to have an impact.
If I’m going to be honest, I don’t put all that much faith in the findings. Very few people were surveyed per country, and while I could not get hold of the actual figures, from the looks of the report there was not all that much difference between the countries.
However what I found interesting about this study, and why I bring it up, was that it was not simply a study on happiness levels or physical health. It also covered many other areas of people’s lives. And after reading the reports (found here and here) and press release it became clear that the big concerns that were highlighted in this study were of a different nature to what is usually discussed in the media.
The study found that people were very concerned about the world; they worried about the environment and the direction that society is heading. There was also a lot of concern about the impact technology is having on our lives, with many people reporting that they feel disconnected and that there isn’t a sense of community anymore. And they are starting to look for brands that make them feel good: brands that they know are making a difference and doing the right thing. So in my readings of this study to look simply at Australia’s low rating of wellness, I came across this much more positive message: The individuals surveyed want to make a difference. They want to make the world a better place. They are crying out for a stronger sense of community. And while this dissatisfaction with the way things are now may lead to a decrease in wellness at present, I believe that it will have a positive impact in the future as people strive to make changes, however small those changes may be.
To be honest, I don’t really care that this study lacks the careful methodology that, as an ex-uni student, I do so like to see, because it sends an important message. That people, or at least those surveyed, are worried about the world and the people in it. And because of this, they are beginning to realise and become concerned about where their products come from. They want a brand that makes them feel good about themselves because they know that they are helping to make the world a better place.
So no matter the flaws in the study, if it leads to brands sitting up and taking notice of the changes that the people are beginning to ask for, then that can only be a good thing.
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