4 Steps to Creating and Maintaining a Healthier Work Environment

Having a happy and healthy work environment has an impact that goes well beyond the wellness of your team. Happy and healthy employees are more productive, engaged and motivated to work towards the company’s goals. They’re also much less likely to suffer from absenteeism and presenteeism.

Unfortunately, creating a physically and psychologically healthy work environment is easier said than done, particularly if your company has a toxic culture that you need to overcome. However, that doesn’t mean it can’t be achieved. Here are 4 simple tips to help you get there.

1. Build trust

Before taking steps to increase the physical health of your workers, you need to create a culture that supports them psychologically. According to the staffing agency Adecco, honesty, trust and fairness are the most important attributes in the workplace for 90 percent of employees. Building trust takes time but it is achievable if you follow these simple rules:

• Own up to your mistakes and make amends
• Make promises and keep them
• Make firm commitments
• Communicate with your team and give them regular updates
• Discuss the obstacles you face and how you plan to overcome them

1. Promote wellness

You can put a range of benefits in place that will help to promote the physical and mental wellness of your team. Those benefits do not need to be expensive and any costs are likely to be repaid in the form of increased staff retention, reduced absenteeism and a boost to productivity.

Workplace exercise programmes like weekly yoga sessions and free massages can boost physical wellness, while supplying healthy food, such as regular office fruit baskets can give your team more energy and improve their concentration, outlook and mood. You can read more on these benefits here.

1. Recognise and reward

Another way to keep motivation and spirits high is to recognise the efforts of your team and make sure they are rewarded. It’s amazing how simple but incredibly effective a little recognition can be. Just 60 seconds out of your day can completely change the outlook of your team. It’s the little things that matter, and simply sending an email for a milestone achieved or taking the team to coffee or lunch can make a huge difference to morale.

1. Invest in ergonomic office furniture

Office workers can spend up to 8 hours a day sitting at a desk. Add in commuting time and you have a health problem that’s waiting to happen. 8.9 million working days were lost in the UK last year due to work-related musculoskeletal disorders. As well as the working days lost, the pain associated with such disorders can damage productivity and do considerable harm to morale. A Townsville office furniture expert reminds us that investing in ergonomic office furniture and installing standing desks can be a simple and cost-effective solution.

What changes have you made to create a healthier working environment for your team? Please share your thoughts in the comments below.