3 Ways to Promote the Wellbeing of Your Employees

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Are your employees healthy?

You may think the answer to that question is none of your concern. Surely their eating and exercising habits are completely up to them, right? But when you consider the fact that they spent up to 40 hours a week at work, which is nearly a third of their adult life, it’s clear you have a lot more to answer for. 

Office work is becoming increasingly stressful and highly-pressured, and as a result, 40% of workers claim to be extremely stressed at work. Stress has all kinds of impacts on physical and mental health and can lead to severe problems such as chronic pain, anxiety, and depression. Add to this the fact that your employees are spending so much time in the office that healthy habits such as exercise, self-care, and healthy eating can be thrown to the wayside. By the time a stressed office worker gets home from their lengthy commute, the gym is the last thing on their mind. 

Of course, some people manage to lead perfectly healthy lives around their work schedule, and you often see these people nipping out for a lunchtime run or wolfing down thermogenic fat burners at their desk. But the nature of office work makes it harder to maintain this lifestyle. As well as the stress and the loss of time, working in an office and staring at a screen promotes a sedentary lifestyle and can have damaging consequences for your workers’ immune system, posture, and chances of developing a range of health problems.

As an employer, you have a large responsibility to keep your workers healthy. After all, it will not only benefit their lives but your business too. Studies show that healthy and happy employees are more productive, so you will see the impact on your turnover. 

To get you started, here are three effective ways to promote the wellbeing of your employees.

Be more flexible

More and more businesses are moving away from the traditional nine-to-five structure and for good reason. Your staff have lives outside of work, and strict schedules make it harder to fit in the things that are necessary and important to them, such as picking their kids up from school, visiting the doctor’s, and exercising. Most studies show that shorter workdays and working from home don’t hinder productivity, but they can be hugely beneficial for quality of life. Try letting your employees work flexible hours to fit in with their commitments or occasionally work remotely when needed.

Promote good posture

Sitting hunched over a computer for eight hours a day is one of the most unhealthy habits you can have, yet people often don’t realize this until they have already developed musculoskeletal problems. Encourage your staff to take regular breaks to walk around and stretch, and you could even invest in ergonomic office chairs and standing desks to promote better posture.

Prioritize mental health

Stress is a growing concern among office workers, and you should do everything you can to promote mental wellbeing. Let your staff know they can talk to you about any stresses and worries they have, and try to find ways of managing their workloads to reduce the pressure they are facing.