For many of us, we spend most of our lives in the workplace. Therefore, it can have a big impact on our health and wellbeing. In this post, we’re going to be covering some of the ways we can help to prioritise a healthy workplace and how this is beneficial both for employees and for the business itself. Keep reading to learn more.
Hygiene In The Workplace
One of the first steps to improving health in the workplace is to improve hygiene and cleanliness. This helps to reduce the risk of illnesses from spreading through a work setting, which is both harmful to employees and to the functioning of the business. Bathroom and kitchen areas need to be regularly cleaned and treated with antibacterial solutions to help kill germs and bacteria. Desks and equipment also need to be regularly cleaned and sanitised as it’s a common place for bacteria to build up.
Health Assessments
A great way for employers to help prioritise the health of their team is to sign them up for regular health assessments. This not only is beneficial for the employees as it helps them to have peace of mind about their health status, but it’s also beneficial for the business too. If any health concerns are identified during assessments, plans can be put in place to help cover an employee if they need to have time out of work or support due to their health. Corporate health assessments are also a great incentive to help attract applications for a role within a business too.
Taking Regular Breaks
Making sure employees have the opportunity to take regular breaks from their work is another way to help improve good health in the workplace. Both our brains and our bodies need the chance to take a step away from a desk or work environment to either get exercise or rest, depending on the role. It can also help to improve the psychological wellbeing of employees as it gives them the chance to take a break from work demands or socialise. Work schedules should be organised so that each member of staff has an opportunity for short breaks from their workload throughout the day.
Supporting Mental Health
Good health isn’t just about physical health, it’s important to prioritise mental health too. Making sure there are systems in place to support the mental health of employees in the workplace is essential. For example, having counselling services available and a good HR system for employees to report any issues or concerns they may have. Workloads should be designed with the mental well-being of employees in mind as well. Putting too much pressure on employees for deadlines or giving them excessive workloads can cause stress, as well as lead to mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. It also makes employees less likely to stick around at a job, meaning a higher turnover of staff and a less functional and efficient workplace which can affect the business productivity.