Who is affected
Small and Medium Size business ownersEntrepreneurs
Bsuiness Owners and Managers
Employees
Narrative
Entrepreneurial stress and subsequent disengagement are a major challenge for small business sustainability, affecting approximately one-third of UK SMEs within their first three years of their opera on. We are developing a practical and evidence-based stress recovery App for small business owners and entrepreneurs, given that the long-term success of the business depends on entrepreneurs being able to manage stress. This work is a scalable revenue-generating tool.
In the UK, SMEs are contributing over half of the private-sector GDP, yet business-related stress and disengagement of small business owners threaten both economic growth and their well-being. My recent longitudinal study found that out of 368 UK small business owners surveyed, those reporting persistent emotional and physical disengagement due to stress and burnout were three times more likely to close their ventures within 36 months.
Business-related stress can't always be eliminated, but if it is not detected and addressed early, subsequent interventions are often too late to prevent adverse economic and personal outcomes. My ongoing research shows that targeted psychological recovery interventions can reduce stress and business disengagement and improve business sustainability for entrepreneurs at risk. The primary outcome measures of this impact case study will be improvements in stress levels and reduction in business exit and disengagement scores. By integrating high-impact research findings into practical intervention, this project is closely aligned with the Healthy Society (SDG3) and Decent Work (SDG8) of the UN Sustainable Goals.
| Impact status | Started |
|---|---|
| Impact date | 2023 |
| Category of impact | Economic, Commercial impact, Health & Welfare Impact |
| Impact level | Adoption |