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As a business owner, investing in your employees’ health and well-being is one of the most valuable decisions you can make.
Pixabay Even after the worst of the pandemic, personal wellness is still at the forefront of many people’s minds. Many employers are now recognising that a healthy workforce equals a productive workforce, and are viewing employee well-being as a core element in their HR strategy.
Alongside boosting productivity and helping your business thrive, focusing on your employees’ well-being can help reduce stress, increase staff retention and reduce sickness absence.
Here are five ways you can improve your employee’s well-being in the workplace and help them stay engaged in their role.
Encourage a Healthy Work-Life Balance
As computers, laptops and phones are now a part of everyday life in the modern world, it’s no surprise why so many employees find themselves unable to detach themselves from work after they’ve clocked out.
Of course, there’s no harm in your employees proving that they are dedicated to your company. However, when their work begins to seep into most of their evenings and weekends, it can begin to impact their mental health and subsequently their performance during the week.
Experts claim that regularly working after designated hours can put the body in a “constant state of stress”, which can eventually lead to physical consequences such as tension headaches, memory problems, insomnia, and even depression.
We all know that overworking can cause burnout, a form of cognitive exhaustion that leaves people feeling overwhelmed. To help your employees keep a clear head while at work and at home, it’s vital to remind them to separate their office life from their personal life, and to book time off when they need to.
Offer Smoking Cessation Support
With COVID-19 still in circulation, smoking is a topic that is more salient than ever. Not only can cigarettes cause severe health problems for smokers, but they also present risks for others around them through second-hand smoking.
As staff members who smoke are more at risk of developing serious health issues, this means they’ll be more likely to cost your business money down the line. While smoking is ultimately a personal choice, there are many ways you can support your staff members who smoke.
One way of doing this is by offering a smoking cessation programme as part of their employee benefits. This could consist of counselling from a professional alongside pharmacological assistance to help your employees explore their cessation options, such as nicotine patches or easy-to-use disposable e-cigarettes like YOLO Bars.
E-cigarettes are proven to be 95% less harmful than smoking and one of the most effective smoking cessation tools. In 2020, they were found to be the most popular quitting aid in the UK in 2020.
Organise Team Days Outs And Fitness Challenges
Team-building activities are undoubtedly one of the pillars of a strong company culture. Fun days out with your staff such as hiking can be a great way to keep your team active and morale high, all while offering newer employees the opportunity to get to know your other staff members if they haven’t already.
Similarly, creating fitness challenges for your employees to participate in can encourage healthier habits while bringing your team members closer. These challenges could be as simple as drinking more water in the office to walking a certain amount of steps per day or following a workout plan for a week.
You could even organise this on a monthly basis and enter those who complete the challenge into a raffle to win a health-related prize.
Let In Light
A number of studies have revealed that offices with larger windows that allow natural light can provide a number of health benefits. Scientists have explained that our bodies are able to process natural light considerably better than artificial light, and that we are essentially hard-wired to work more efficiently in this type of environment.
Offices that lack light are understood to be more likely to cause headaches, blurred vision, eye strain and fatigue, which can leave employees susceptible to other health problems. One study from the Future Workplace Employee Experience even found that some 78% of employees agreed that access to natural light improves their well-being, with 70% having reported improved performance.
Build A Breakout Area
If the space allows, a breakout area in your office can go a long way towards making your workplace more comfortable. This area can be used as a space for your employees to take a 5 minute break, an essential addition for any fast-paced business.
Your office’s breakout area could even double up as an alternative space for quick informal meetings that only require a few people. Who knows, the relaxed environment may even allow your employees’ ideas to flow freely!
