A healthier work environment brings with it a number of bonuses that will make your office the very pinnacle of productivity. This includes a happier workforce, reduced sick days and absences and of course, overall general wellness. Creating a healthier work environment might sound obvious to some, but there’s more to it than just handing out pedometers and hoping your employees use them, or presenting a slideshow that promotes healthier eating in the hopes that it’s being listened to. It’s all about creating a culture of health that should form a key part of your company’s identity.
There are many practices you can adopt which will go a long way into creating a workplace that’s both healthier and happier and here are just a few:-
Invest in Good Seating
You spend most of your day sitting behind a desk, so it’s only right that you have a chair that’s going to support you effectively. Many workplaces promote a good posture when their employees are sat working, but a lot still don’t see the added benefits of ergonomic chairs. Sitting correctly might sound like an incredibly simple thing to do but there are a number of things you do in the office while you’re sat down that can have a significant impact on your health. Distance from your chair to the keyboard is a good example, as some still don’t see the correlation between the two, but the straighter you sit, along with a good level of support for your back will make things like typing easier on your wrists.
Open a Window
Allowing fresh, natural air into your office will go a long way into creating a healthier workplace for you and your colleagues. Not only does it minimize the use of an air conditioning unit, but it also moves air around and keeps your office feeling fresh. Some of the benefits of fresh air include:
- Improving blood pressure & heart rate.
- Cleaning lungs.
- Allows for more energy and a sharper mind.
- Strengthens the immune system.
- Great for digestion.
- Overall makes people happier.
Exercise
This one is a bit of a no-brainer when it comes to being healthier, and while many workplaces do encourage that their employees get sufficient exercise during the day, there are some different and unique ways you can incorporate it into the day to day runnings of your business. When employees take a break, encourage them to do more than just have a stretch or make conversation at the water cooler, maybe by suggesting some fresh air and a walk. The endorphins from the exercise, as well as the fresh air, will get your workers feeling better, less stressed and more focused. You might also consider introducing ‘walking meetings’ so that people can energize while they brainstorm.
Get a Fruit Bowl
A lot of people seem to have forgotten the importance of their five a day, but the reason it is so important is because a lot of fruit contains vitamins and minerals which give us a great boost in terms of happiness and healthiness. Placing a stocked fruit bowl in your office will help reduce people snacking on junk food, as well as promoting better office relations as once the ball is rolling, we’re sure that fruit bowl will become a shared contribution between the employees.
The best fruits to include in this fruit bowl are:
- Apples – Promote colon health as well as being a great source of vitamin C.
- Grapes – These are full of vitamins A, C, and B6.
- Lemons – Help support your liver and gallbladder, and its smell has been said to help with fatigue, anxiety, and nervousness.
- Blackberries – High in Lutein which helps support healthy eyes.
Lighting
The way your office is lit will have a significant effect on the health of your workplace. For the most ideal solution, you want to let in as much natural light as possible. Unfortunately, however, this isn’t always possible, like in the winter months, for instance, so you’ll have to rely on artificial lighting for that. But, if you get your office some natural light bulbs, these are a much better solution than any other out there. Whatever lighting you do have, remember to position it so that is doesn’t reflect off of other objects that can lead to eye troubles and headaches down the line.
This is a contribution by Elite Partitions & Interiors – an office fitout company with over 35 years combined experience specialising in office refurbishment, office partitions, and glass partitions.
Photo credits: eOffice, Pixabay
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