Promoting health, well-being and overall happiness for employees does not have to put a significant cost on employers. Making small changes in the workplace can ensure significant improvements with employees both personally and professionally. Keep reading this Legal Kitz blog for useful tips to improve health and well-being in your workplace!
What is workplace well-being?
Well-being is a holistic approach for employees in a workplace, focused on promoting healthy habits for physical and mental health. Health and well-being in the workplace ensures that all employees feel safe and valued at work. Happy employees increase productivity and motivation for a thriving work environment and successful business.
Implementing workplace well-being can assist in creating a positive and more productive environment for employees. It also plays a large role in maintaining employees’ mental health, as research has shown that employees who are looking after their mental health are more productive at work and are less likely to use sick leave.
How does well-being affect performance?
If workplace well-being is not being promoted, employees are more likely to feel dissatisfied and undervalued. Employees are also more likely to be demotivated and overwhelmed by stress, which makes them less likely to work to their best potential. These factors can have a flow-on effect on the employee’s overall culture in the workplace, organisation, and general well-being.
Ideas to promote well-being in the workplace:
Plants in the workplace
It can be alarming the amount of awake time people have to spend indoors, so it is imperative to find ways to be connected with greenery. Having plants in the workplace or encouraging staff to leave the building and go for a walk has been shown to improve mental well-being by allowing the body to take a break from mental exhaustion and boost and restore energy.
Improve the air quality in the office
Poor air quality within the office is caused by air that cannot escape and outdoor air which cannot easily enter the building. Synthetic materials and furnishing are the main contributors to poor air quality. Products such as cleaning products and personal care products can also contribute to poor air quality. This can result in sick-building syndrome, where employees can experience symptoms such as headaches, dry skin, itchy eyes, and dizziness. As an employer, it is important that you check that the workplace has good air quality, as it can affect the health and well-being of employees.
It is recommended that employers use these steps to improve air quality:
- regularity service air conditioners;
- use air purifiers;
- open windows for airflow (if able to); and
- clean regularly to remove dust particles.
Review mental health support for external staff
Working from home has become increasingly common over the last few years, however, for some people it can be extremely isolating and lonely; so it is essential that remote workers are being cared for. Firstly, it is important for employers to understand and have the ability to identify if an employee is struggling with mental health issues. Secondly, it is encouraged employers implement support mechanisms to help employees manage their workload and personal lives better.
Encourage healthy eating
Workplaces should support healthy eating for their employee’s overall health. Australian campaigns about the increasing risks of processed sugars have had a positive result in workplaces, where employers are choosing to remove soft drink vending machines. It is also recommended that workplaces use mechanisms such as cooking classes and nutritional consultants to educate their employees on healthy food choices.
Often, people that are time-poor choose less nutritious meals. Teaching employees healthy and budget-friendly meal options allows them an opportunity to try cooking more nutritious foods at home ahead of time, to reduce the risk of obesity and diabetes.
Legal advice
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