Wellbeing in the Workplace

Businesses with happy, healthy staff benefit from higher workplace energy levels, increased levels of staff morale, increased productivity, better job satisfaction and staff retention, which naturally, in turn impacts on the efficiency and profitability of your business.

Additionally, young exciting jobseekers entering the workplace are increasingly seeking out working environments that will nurture creativity, inclusivity, collaboration and diversity – therefore if you want to attract and retain the best employees, you need to create a business environment in which they can thrive.

So how can you help your employees to feel more comfortable, healthy and happy in the workplace? Here are a few simple tips for improving your workplace environment and staff wellbeing.

Work Space

One simple way of promoting workplace wellbeing is to create a workspace that employees feel comfortable in. A poorly designed workspace can hinder the creative process, and impact on staff performance, engagement and innovation.

Consider how your workspace is being used now, and how that might change in the future. How could it be used better? Consider the workspace from the perspective of the senses. How do people use the space and interact? A workspace that feels, looks and sounds great, will be reflected by the people who work in it, improving efficiency, morale and creative working.

How do people use the space and interact?

A workspace that feels, looks and sounds great, will be refl ected by the people who work in it, improving efficiency, morale and creative working.

What are you looking at?

Workers who have views to the outside are likely to be up to 25% more productive and process calls 12% faster, according to World Green Building Council research.

Colour can also bring a certain vibe to the workplace. Yellow is particularly good for creativity, whilst green reduces stress and promotes calmness and blue helps give focus.

Get outside

You could also look to introduce water features, park benches and flower pots outside the office to give extra spaces for breaks and creative brainstorming.

Plant life

Office plants aren’t just for show, they also quietly absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the workspace. Dot plants around your workspace to keep clean air circulating, contributing to the good health of your employees.

Light it up

Exposure to natural light increases productivity by 18% and better lighting in general pushes up work rates by 23%. Where natural light is restricted, ensure you have sufficient lighting for the tasks carried out within the space. With good lighting workers make fewer mistakes, leading to increased productivity.

Get on the move

According to the Get Britain Standing campaign, workers sit for an average of 8.9 hours. There is new research to suggest that there are serious health risks connected to a sedentary lifestyle. Encouraging staff to move more during the day will help reduce hours spent sitting, in turn helping alleviate the associated health risks.

Consider furniture that encourages employees to keep moving while they work with sit stand desking or balance boards. Undertake meetings on the move by walking around the park or block rather than sitting in the boardroom. Introduce lunchtime yoga sessions, or regular stretching breaks.

Healthy Eating

Modern, busy lifestyles foster poor eating habits. Many of us rely on convenience foods and snacks due to lack of time for healthy preparation.

Consider introducing free fruit for all employees, and ensure there is a clean well equipped preparation area so it’s easy for staff to prepare their own food. If you have a café on site, ensure it offers healthy meals and caters for all dietary requirements. By providing support to eat healthier, you’ll be helping your staff to keep their brains and bodies alert and functioning at their best.

Turn it down

A noisy workplace is a major contributory factor to employee distraction, which can lead to a decrease in productivity and general apathy in the work environment.

Consider both open and closed spaces for employees to work in, use surfaces that absorb acoustics, invest in noise reducing technologies and position open plan desking away from heavy footfall areas.

Get fit for fun

Battling daily with rush hour traffic can be monotonous and stressful. Consider encouraging employees to get on their bike or walk into work. Look into Bike to Work schemes, or discounted gym memberships for staff members, put secure cycle racks in place and install a shower. Improved fitness leads to increased endorphin levels, meaning your employees will be generally happier and less stressed.