CANDY WASHINGTON

View Original

How to Create a Healthier Work Environment in Your Office

Image Source - CC0 License

Hi lovelies,

If you’re running a business and you have a team of people working hard for you, the least you should try to do is create a positive and healthy work environment in which they can do their jobs. And it’ll benefit you and everyone involved in the business as well as your team, so it’s definitely worth thinking about.

But what does a healthy work environment look like and what can you do with your office space to ensure it’s living up to the standards you should expect? We’re going to talk today about some of the changes you can make in order to create a healthier work environment that you and everyone on your team can benefit from. So read on now to find out more.

Do Your Bit to Promote Wellness and Don’t Encourage Unhealthy Working Habits
First of all, you should think about the messages your business sends out to its employees. You should place an emphasis on wellness and try to show your staff members just how important it is to lead a balanced life and not to overwork themselves. Of course, you’ll play a role in determining whether that happens or not, so try not to place too much work on one person’s shoulders. And make an effort to educate people on how to work in a healthy and productive way that aids their wellness.

Make it Easy for Your Team to Connect
It should be as easy as it can be for your team members to connect with one another and to work as a unit. If they find that it’s difficult for them to work with one another, they’ll become disjointed and they won’t collaborate or function as a team. That’s probably not what you want in a modern workplace, so provide the resources and the physical setup inside your office that’ll ensure your team can work together. It’ll make their working lives less stressful if you get this right.

Keep the Office Clean and Hygienic
These days, it’s never never been more important to keep your office as clean and hygienic as it possibly can be. You should want to make sure that the office space is cleaned regularly and that you use natural cleaning products rather than those filled with chemicals if possible. Hygiene is important too, especially with the pandemic that we’ve all just been through. Returning to the office might be daunting for some, but it’ll be easier on them if strong hygiene practices are in place.

Keep Things Flexible
Making people’s working lives and routines as flexible as possible has been shown to encourage better mental health. We all have busy and chaotic lives sometimes, and the same is true for your employees. If it works for them to work from home sometimes or to work different hours, then you should do everything within your power to make that happen. The more flexible you are, the more productive your team will end up being too.

Ensure the Space Has Good Air Flow and Natural Light in Abundance
Making sure your home’s space has good air flow and plenty of natural light is a must. We know that with Covid, air ventilation has become an even more important factor in many workplaces. But plenty of fresh and natural light coming in through the windows will not only make your office space feel more positive and more inviting, but also help to keep your team healthier at work too. So contact a window installation contractor if you feel more windows need to be added to your office space.

Recognize and Reward Good Work
People need a little recognition if they’re going to stay happy and motivated in their roles. Don’t be the boss that ignores staff members when they do great things and only speaks up when there’s something wrong that needs to be fixed. If that’s the approach you take, you’ll end up with an unmotivated and completely demoralized team of people, which is obviously not what you want at all. When good work is done, don’t be afraid to recognize it and praise people for it. It goes a long way.

Create Spaces for Comfort and Relaxation
There should be parts of your workplace that offer more in terms of comfort and relaxation. Of course, that doesn’t mean your team is going to be laid back and taking it easy when they should be working. But it does mean that when it’s their break time or when they need a little time out to de-stress, they’ll have a place where they can go and relax. Never underestimate how important that is from a mental health perspective. 

Make Standing Desks Optional
Some people prefer standing desks these days, and they have been shown to offer considerable health benefits to people who use them. Sitting at a desk all day long isn’t great for a person’s health, and it also isn’t great for their posture either. So if anyone in your workplace wants to use a standing desk, you should make this possible for them. That flexibility is what most employees are looking for as well.

Add Some Plants to the Office Space
Finally, you should think about adding some life to your office in the form of indoor plants. These are great for a number of reasons. First of all, they bring some vibrancy to the space and make it feel more in touch with the natural world, which is never a bad thing. On top of that, plants indoors can help to improve the air quality, which is something that matters a lot when it comes to keeping people feeling healthy.

If you’re looking to create a better and healthier work environment inside your office, the ideas above should help you make that a reality. Be sure to tailor the tips above to your specific needs. After all, every business is unique and your team’s needs will be unique as well.

See this social icon list in the original post