Are you concerned that your workspace isn’t a healthy one? Creating a healthy work environment can have a positive effect on both mood and productivity levels. What does a healthy work environment consist of?
A healthy work environment is one that focuses on both workplace health and employee well-being (physically and mentally). Positive work culture and a clean atmosphere will reward you in many ways, but how can you achieve this? There are a few different ways to create a work environment that’s good for both mental and physical health.
In the guide below, you can find some important steps to take if you want to build a happy work environment. Continue reading to find out more!
Table of Contents
1. Keep a Clean and Organized Space
A cluttered space can affect productivity. Clutter and mess can cause your employees to become distracted. An office space that’s not cleaned properly each day can quickly spread germs to you, employees, and customers. When this happens, you’ll see a decrease in productivity as well.
To keep the workspace clean and organized, hire a professional cleaning company to come in each night after hours to properly clean and sanitize the workspace. You can also have each employee clean out and organize their desks once a month. Using antimicrobial paper products will also help reduce the spread of germs within the office.
Changing the air filters on a regular basis and installing air purifiers will aid in reducing the number of allergens in the air, which can cause allergy flare-ups and worsen pre-existing conditions such as asthma.
2. Promote Collaboration
When employees are encouraged to work with one another, you’ll begin to see more ideas flowing. Sometimes, it takes a few great minds to come together and brainstorm to come up with one awesome idea or creation. Rather than forcing each employee to work separately in their own workspace, promote collaboration.
Allow different employees or teams to come together when needed to work on projects with one another. Employees should feel comfortable giving and receiving feedback either with one another or with you.
3. Utilize Ergonomic Furniture
An ergonomic workspace promotes healthy bodies. When employees must sit at a desk for several hours throughout the day, it’s common for them to suffer from neck and back pain over time. This can then lead to a decrease in productivity and work culture.
To prevent this from happening, utilize ergonomic furniture. Make sure each employee has an ergonomic chair and desk. Employees should also know the proper way to sit at a desk in regards to the position of their feet, neck, arms, keyboard, and computer screen.
You should also provide different ergonomic workstations such as a standing workstation or a room with exercise balls to sit on next to tables for their laptops.
4. Encourage Work-Life Balance
Work-life balance is important. As much as you want your employees to become one with the company and spend every waking hour there, it’s simply not healthy for them to do so. Each employee is an individual with his or her own at-home life, which should be respected.
When you encourage a healthy work-life balance, you’ll begin to see your employees thrive. When employees have a great work-life balance, they might even be more willing to spend more time working on projects. You can encourage a healthy work-life balance by offering flexible scheduling or remote work options.
You should also encourage breaks and review workloads when needed. Do what you can to show your employees you know they’re each their own individual who needs time for at-home life as well.
5. Recommend Health and Fitness
If you want healthy employees, then be sure to recommend health and fitness. Providing employees with free gym memberships and healthy food choices in the breakroom. These options might seem like an unnecessary added expense at first, but healthier employees mean less sick leave.
Mental health should also be a concern. Make sure all employees know that you offer an open-door policy where they can come to you about any concerns or questions they might have. Providing employees with mental health days is also a great way to promote good mental health.
Take your employees outside to complete different team-building activities, which gives them some time out of the office.
6. Recognize and Reward Hard Work
Sometimes, it can be easy to find yourself in a place where you’re only addressing what needs to be done better. When mistakes are made, they need to be addressed and corrected but don’t forget to recognize and reward hard work as well. If employees feel as though all their hard work and dedication is going unnoticed, then it might cause them to pull back.
When you see your team striving to do well, compliment them, show recognition, and reward them when possible. Even something as little as a catered lunch will boost your employees’ mood and show your appreciation.
7. Create a Wellness Area
If you have the space to do so, create a wellness area in your workplace. This area can be a small section in a low-traffic zone where employees can go to read a book on their lunch break, practice yoga, meditate, or simply relax. Consider using essential oils in a diffuser and placing crystals in a bowl on a side table.
Comfortable pillows or beanbags on the floor will give them a cozy space to sit as well.
You Can Build a Healthy Work Environment Right Now
As difficult as it might have seemed in the past, creating a healthy work environment is a lot easier than one might believe. There are many changes, both big and small, that you can make in your workplace to promote a mentally and physically healthy work environment. Use the information given in the guide above to get started.
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