The world over, things are changing for many workplaces. The pandemic that has been raging on for over a year has exposed some things that people never realized were possible, one of them being the ability to work from home. The realization that work could also be done remotely has come as a shock to many companies, and although people are going back to the office, the dynamics have changed. Simply put, things will not go back to being the same.
Importance of Workplace Wellness
As employees switch back to the office, one area that will draw a lot of attention would be their comfort and, most importantly, their wellness. Every employer will have to find ways to make the workplace a healthy environment, physically and mentally. The following are the reasons why workplace wellness is very important.
It Boosts Productivity
An employee who is not well can’t simply hit the same productivity levels as a healthy one. One has to be healthy and in the right state of mind to be able to handle work well. There are so many things that can cause an employee to be unwell, and this could be due to regular sickness, stress from home and work, and using the wrong furniture that exerts undue pressure on their bodies. As an employer, there are things that are within your power that you can do to make life a little easier and comfortable for your employees. Get them the right chairs, desks and create schedules that are kind to them. It is the small things that make the most difference.
It Boosts Happiness
People tend to underestimate happiness at the workplace. When work becomes a chore that has to be completed to meet quotas and gain a salary at the end of it, things go wrong very quickly. Creating a workplace where employees are happy is not hard; it includes simple things like granting them the freedom to be themselves around the office, creating recreational centres for their breaks, and always creating time for talking once in a while to get to the bottom of what may be eating them. A happy employee will always push themselves to the limits compared to an unhappy one who is just there to count down the clock to hometime.
It Keeps Employees Healthy
The human body doesn’t respond well to being overworked, and when you, as an employer, make things hard for your employees in terms of overworking them, then most of the money they make will end up as medical bills. By providing wellness programs, you are giving them a chance to lead healthy lives, and this not only cuts down their medical expenditure but also reduces healthcare insurance costs that you as an employer are mandated by the law to provide. Setting up a wellness program for your workers will save you a lot of money in the long run.
It Attracts Better Hires
People talk in employment circles; that’s how rumours about some companies fly around. Having a good wellness program in place will attract better hires as everyone will be fighting for a chance to work for you. This only proves that employees do really value working environments that are not harsh. Some will even be prepared to take pay cuts in exchange for their peace of mind. Therefore, promoting employee wellness not only makes your employees better and happier but also positions your company in an advantageous position where they can hire the best new talents.
It Pushes the Retirement Age
The main reason why most people retire is because of burnout. This burnout comes as a result of difficult working conditions that make it hard for the body to recover. However, things are now changing, thanks to studies conducted by various researchers around the world. Retaining employees for as long as the company can is always good for the employer as they keep that experience in-house. The best way to ensure employees are able to push past the set retirement age is to make sure they work in a conducive environment that doesn’t use them to their limits—delaying the burnout as much as you can should be a priority for every employer.
How to Inject Wellness into the Workplace
Paying attention to the needs of other people around you is the best way to unlock their potential. Gestures like this make employees feel appreciated as they can see the lengths you are willing to go to make things comfortable for them. But how exactly do you inject employee wellness into the workplace? The following are pointers worth considering.
Getting Them Comfortable Furniture
Office chairs and desks should be comfortable and easy to use for workers to attain the best productivity without having to deal with back pain and other health-related issues. When looking for chairs, go for an ergonomic chair that is height adjustable, with lumbar support, comfortable armrests, and a breathable mesh to stop your back from accumulating sweat when working.
Hiring a Counselor
As you focus on the employees’ physical well-being, pay attention to their mental health as well. Depression and anxiety tend to be unpredictable, and doing everything right may not necessarily keep them at bay. To better help the people working for you, hire an in-house counsellor who will always be on call to handle any issue that pops up. Having this unlimited access will make workers feel more relaxed, knowing they can get the help they need anytime they feel like it.
Creating Flexible Hours
9-5 is the standard working time the world over, and it is an acceptable arrangement that ensures targets are attained without exhausting the body. However, not everyone is built the same. There are people who are more productive in the morning while others function better in the afternoon and the night. Have a flexible working schedule that suits the needs of the workers and find a way to create working hours that fit them well. You can even allow everyone a week to work from home for a change and see how productivity will shoot up.
Encourage Exercise at Work
Finding time to hit the gym can be hard when you spend most of the day at work. By the time you get that time in most cases, your body is usually tired already. Keep this up long enough, and you will find yourself having to deal with weight issues. To make things convenient for your employees, consider creating exercise rooms for quick workouts or buying fitness equipment like desk bikes that allow them to work and exercise at the same time. In that regard, consider going for the Sit2Go 2-in-1 Fitness Chair, a standing desk bike that is built for office workouts.
Encourage Healthy Eating
Most workplaces usually feature an eating zone where people can bring their own food or order it from outside. However, a better move would be to have an in-house catering service that provides food for the employees. Healthy eating is at the core of productivity as it replenishes the last energy through working. When workers eat the right things, their bodies are able to deal with fatigue more efficiently, and they end up being healthy and fit in the long run.
Grant Workers Sick Leaves and Breaks
At some point, the body eventually breaks down, no matter how well prepared one may be. A good employer should have the ability to know when a worker requires a break. You will start noticing a change in their moods or productivity. Rather than create a stink out of it, take the initiative to offer them a break or a sick leave that will help them recharge their bodies for another fresh start. Sometimes all it takes is a little understanding which trumps losing a good employee due to misunderstanding.
Introduce Bonding Activities
Creating harmony in the workplace is another way of ensuring that people who share the office are on good terms with each other and can rely on one another. This creates a relaxed atmosphere that makes it easy for work to progress seamlessly. Group bonding activities include trips to a resort, holding birthday parties for each other, among many other activities. When everyone is free around each other, you are assured of having employees who can think out of the box and come up with a collective solution for the problems you may be facing.
Conclusion
Everybody loves working in a stress-free environment that gives them the freedom and the space to breathe. This creates a sense of responsibility in employees as they feel trusted, and they will do anything in their power to live up to that. There are many other ways you can enhance worker wellness in your company. It takes time researching them until you find tactics that work best for the people under you.
