Are you thinking about your employees’ health?
For a business to be successful, you need to make sure you’re helping keep your employees healthy. But, if you’re new to this, you might not know what you can do, or how you can help.
Don’t worry, we’re here to help! Read on for these seven easy ways you can help improve employee health.
- Encourage Preventative Care
You want healthy employees because it’ll benefit your business. They’re more likely to give better performance. And, they will be less likely to suffer issues that result in them taking time off. Not to mention healthy employees are happier ones too.
Stress can have a huge impact on people’s health. But if you want to make a long-term impact on your employees’ health you need to look from a broader angle.
It’s not enough to offer only physical fitness incentives. Encourage positive behavior changes to see the best results. To do this, consider offering things like:
- Employee trips to farmers’ markets
- Counseling resources
- Help to quit smoking
- Lifestyle conferences with tips on cooking, keeping tidy, etc.
You can also offer preventative care measures like office flu shots. While it might be a cost outlay to start, it can help boost productivity in the long run. It can bring down the number of sick days taken by a huge margin.
Think preventable care, and make it easy to access for employees. This will encourage more of them to make the most of what you’re offering. In the long-term, this should help create a healthier, happier workplace.
- Promote Healthy Eating Practices
Another big way you can help boost employee health is to promote healthy eating. The first step is getting rid of the vending machines with sugar and fizzy drinks if you still have them.
There are healthy alternatives on the market though to keep up with employee snack needs. And you can also go the extra mile by hosting nutrition training talks, and cooking classes.
This will educate employees on healthy eating habits, and also boost morale. It’s a great way to encourage inter-department socialization for a happier office environment.
It’s also a great way to help employees learn to manage their time well. People with poor time management often go for the quickest options. And these often aren’t the most nutritious.
Teach employees about how to prepare fast, in-budget, healthy foods they can make ahead of time. This could reduce the risk of getting illnesses like diabetes or becoming obese.
- Improve the Office Indoor Air Quality
Having poor indoor air quality happens when there is poor circulation. Indoor air can’t circulate out, and fresh outdoor air can’t get in. Having a high level of synthetic building materials and furniture can make it worse.
Some cleaning and personal care products can also contribute. If your office has poor indoor air quality, it can result in “sick building syndrome”. The symptoms include:
- Dizziness
- Itching, watery eyes
- Headaches
- Dry Skin
- Poor concentration
Luckily, there are many ways in which you can boost your indoor air quality to prevent or fix this. These include:
- Service all AC units on a regular basis
- Keep humidity levels below 60%
- Be thorough with cleaning to remove dust, dirt, and debris
- Reduce chemicals in the workplace
- Check for mold, remove any and avoid wet surfaces
- Install air purifiers
- Open any windows you can on a regular basis to let airflow
Do this and you will see a big difference in indoor air quality. Your employees will feel healthier and happier being in the office.
- Encourage Short Regular Breaks
Many workers know they should take regular breaks, but they don’t. Either they forget, they’re too busy, or they feel uncomfortable doing it.
But a few, short breaks in the day to stretch and loosen the muscles are a huge benefit to health. It helps keep away muscle aches and soreness, eye strain, and reduces stress.
Make taking a few short breaks part of your office culture. You should encourage employees to feel comfortable taking regular breaks to stretch. Or go for a little walk to the kitchen and back.
- Give Managers Training in Mental Health
Don’t get so hung up on physical health that you forget mental health. Most workers who have a high-risk job know the safety protocol to avoid injuries. And office workers are now more aware of the strain sitting at desks can do to their bodies.
Now, as the stigma shifts away, there is more focus on mental health. There is more understanding around this area and employers should take note of it.
Make sure your managers receive training in mental health and keep up to date. They should learn how to spot the signs and help employees who have strained mental health.
This could be a personal issue, or it might stem from work. For example, stress, high workloads, or bullying in the workplace.
It’s a benefit to have all managers trained in this area. But it’s especially useful for those working in health & safety roles or within HR.
- Ergonomic Equipment is a Must
If you want to help boost employee health, then ergonomic equipment is a must. There are still tonnes of equipment out there that aren’t up to standard.
They’re tired and outdated pieces of furniture and accessories, and they’re also dangerous. These pieces of equipment increase the risk of injury and strain for employees.
Get rid of the old and bring in the new ergonomic options. From mice, chairs to screen stands, it’s much safer for your employees. And it will make a more comfortable working space.
With increased comfort, employees won’t get tired or distracted as fast. So, you should see a boost in productivity. It can reduce absenteeism and provide a great boost for morale.
- Offer Protection From UV Rays
If you’re in an area that has high levels of heat and sun, then you’ll know all about UV rays. But in truth, UV rays need to be a concern for everyone, as they can be damaging in high quantities.
They’re not only an outdoor hazard either, but an indoor one too. Certain UV rays can penetrate glass and still cause harm to the skin. Consider installing tinting to your windows.
This will help keep your employees safe from UV rays throughout the day. It’ll also help clients and customers too. Read more about how tinted windows can help your employees and your business.
Ways to Boost Employee Health You Won’t Want to Miss
So, there you have it! Now you know these seven ways to improve employee health you’ll be well on the way.
Offer long term solutions like positive behavior changes alongside physical health incentives. And don’t neglect mental health. Encourage your staff to be serious about their wellbeing by showing you care about it too. Remember, healthier employees are happier and more productive.
If you found this article helpful, check out our other blog posts today!
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