Employees are the number one asset to every business and so as employers, we need to do everything we can to improve the overall health and wellbeing of our staff. There are many ways in which we can do so and showing that you care about your staff will encourage them to work harder and make them want to come to work. Promoting better employee wellbeing in the office can reduce the number of sick days that your staff have and improve productivity in the office. If you want to help your staff to look after themselves at work as well as outside of work, here are a few great ideas to get started.
Talk About Mental Health
Mental health is more important than ever and with more people working in office jobs and sitting behind a computer all day, mental health and wellbeing can take a beating. It is not natural for humans to sit staring at a screen for hours and so we need to break out of this habit sometimes and show our employees there is more to life than technology.
Mental health is one of the largest reasons for sick days in businesses, mainly due to stress. This means as an employer, you should create a mental health plan, offer counseling for employees, and train any managers on mental health awareness. This also means being aware of any unprofessional behavior or bullying. It may even be a good idea to have lunch breaks where you take time away from technology.
Provide Adequate Facilities
An office space that feels compact can take its toll on an employee’s health. Believe it or not, simple changes to your office space can make a big difference in how employees work and their mental wellbeing. Providing space for your employees to relax and supplies such as a commercial water cooler can make a big difference. Staying hydrated is something that many office workers do not do and when working at a desk, it can be difficult to remember to drink enough.
Not only this but office workers often drink way too much caffeine, which can have many negative effects. An office sparkling water machine such as the ones supplied by Bevi ensure that your employees stay hydrated and healthy whilst at work; they might also like a flavored water dispenser. Help your employees to ditch the caffeine and supply them with an exciting new way to drink.
Encourage a Healthy Diet
We all know that we must eat better but many of us do not have the will power or determination to do so. Especially when working in an office, it is all too easy to sit around and snack as you work. Other employees can be easily influenced and so making a change for everyone means that all of your employees are more likely to stick to a better diet. It is important to have a fridge for employees to bring their own food in from home.
When having business lunches or staff meetings, try to push healthier options and provide fruit bowls in the office kitchen. You could even suggest employees take turns in bringing healthy food options into work and making lunches for each other. Whilst the occasional treat is absolutely fine, in an office it is all too easy to be swayed to pick up a pack of donuts rather than a bag of fruit.
Encourage Exercise
Working in an office means not a lot of moving around and this can take its toll on your physical health. Sitting around for long periods of time can also damage your spine and lead to many employees suffering from aches and pains, which could lead to reduced sleeping and reduced productivity. You should provide ergonomic chairs in all workspaces to reduce the risk of this and have regular updates on how to sit properly and work in an office space. Installing bike racks in your office or car park encourages employees to cycle to work.
If you do have cycling facilities, it is also a good option to provide a shower room, especially for those hot summer days. Encourage your staff to take regular walking breaks or hold regular charity events that involve fitness. Inviting a Pilates or yoga instructor into the office once a week is a great way to encourage exercise and promote the wellbeing of your employees. This can also be a great team building exercise.
Employee wellbeing is so important and showing you care about your employees’ physical and mental health can go a long way to forging a happier and healthier team. This will also help to retain staff and reduce sick days. Following these simple tricks is a great way to start promoting wellbeing and improving productivity for your business.
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