Are you aware of the fact that more than 100,000 U.S workers are permanently disabled every year? Furthermore, the direct and indirect healthcare costs of employees taking time off work due to illnesses are estimated to be $950 billion annually (U.S. Department of Labor, 2020). That’s why workplace health is so important! This article covers the importance and benefits of creating an office environment conducive to your team’s overall health and well-being.
The importance of workplace health
A healthy workplace is vital for employees’ physical well-being and can improve productivity, morale, profitability, employee retention rates, and injury prevention. Smaller companies might have limited resources to provide a fully-staffed infirmary or gym. But some easy changes—like encouraging employees to bring healthy snacks or breaks throughout the day—can improve their health. And larger organisations should consider changing policies around eating lunch at work, smoking in non-smoking areas, and stress reduction techniques like meditation or biofeedback training.
How to maintain a healthy work/life balance
If you are going through nervousness and anxiety due to workload, take steps to ensure that your mental health doesn’t suffer. Some easy ways to improve your balance include
1. Set realistic goals for yourself
2. Get plenty of sleep
3. Ask for flexibility
4. Limit time-wasting activities and people
5. Exercise and find time for effective socialising
If necessary, you might consider scheduling some of your time into your calendar, so it is prioritised—like you would schedule an important meeting or interview. This will help ensure that you don’t put yourself last or rush through life thinking about other people all the time—which can lead to burnout.
Tips for staying healthy at work
With long hours, an office environment, and a desk job, it’s easy to let your health slide when working full-time. However, if you want to be productive and happy at work, you must maintain your mental and physical health. To ensure you stay healthy at work, follow these suggestions for staying active and eating well at your job.
Get plenty of sleep
If you’re exhausted, you’re far more likely to succumb to a cookie from your coworker or other less-than-nutritious office snacks. Make sure you sleep for at least 7 to 8 hours each night to be your most productive self.
Don’t skimp on coffee
A great way to boost your energy level is by drinking coffee and feeling more alert during that dreary morning office period. To maintain your healthy diet, ensure you don’t add too much sugar and cream. Opt for half-and-half or unsweetened almond milk instead.
Exercise during lunch breaks
Exercise is essential, and most people don’t get enough of it. Instead of heading out to grab a burger or ordering greasy Chinese food during your lunch break, consider getting up and moving around. Even if you can’t squeeze in a full workout, taking a few brisk walks will increase your body temperature, boost circulation (read: help you burn calories), and improve your outlook on life. It often feels like the only thing we do is sit in front of computers.
Use Standing Desk
If you work in an office, and primarily if you work on a computer all day, it’s important to get a regular break and move around. The easiest way to do that is by using a standing desk. A bonus of some standing desks is that they can be used as standard desks too! To use a standing desk as a traditional desk, you must purchase a stool and place it next to your desk. You can conveniently continue your work on the stool as soon as you can’t help yourself from sitting. An excellent standing desk option that will be very beneficial for your health and work is the Active standing desk EQ5. It is both affordable and practical, as well as one of the best-selling standing desks on the Flexispot website; hence, the Active Standing desk EQ5 will be perfect to buy for your work.
Benefits of a healthy workplace
Many workplaces offer incentives like gym memberships, healthy snacks, and on-site fitness classes to encourage workers to stay active and fit. Did you know these perks aren’t just nice? They could help your company’s bottom line! Here are some ways to keep fit and healthy at work.
Good for employees
A healthier workforce is often a more productive one. Individuals who are in shape and active experience less stress, are more alert and attentive, have better motor skills, and report feeling happier at work. In addition to increasing productivity and reducing absenteeism, company-sponsored wellness programs can decrease insurance costs.
Good for employers
Healthy employees get sick less often, thus reducing absences and short-term disability claims. Studies show that employees who exercise in their free time also have higher morale and lower absenteeism. And don’t forget about health care costs: An employee with high blood pressure, for example, can cost an employer $500 to $1,000 more per year than one without it.
Good for business
Staying healthy is good for business—it improves productivity, lowers your risk of absenteeism and makes you more desirable to potential employees. When looking at overall costs to an employer, healthcare expenditures average around $8,000 per employee per year. The three major categories that make up these costs are medical insurance premiums (including Medicare and Medicaid), retirement plans (including Social Security) and sick leave compensation.
Resources for maintaining a healthy work environment
A healthy work environment is crucial for employee productivity and overall workplace satisfaction. Several resources are available to help employers create and maintain a healthy work environment.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provides guidelines on everything from ergonomics to environmental health. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers a variety of resources on topics such as occupational injuries, stress management, and infectious diseases.
Employers can also find helpful information from professional organisations such as the American Industrial Hygiene Association and the American Psychological Association. By taking advantage of these resources, employers can create a safe and healthy workplace for their employees.
