Creating a Healthy Workspace for Employees

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(Gee94, Pixabay)

23 Nov. 2018. When you first set up a small business, chances are that you will work from home and only really have to worry about your own safety, health, happiness, and well-being. However, when you begin to grow and expand, you’re likely to take on employees. This means that you take on responsibility over a whole host of other individuals’ safety, health, happiness, and well-being while in the workplace. But not to worry. There are a few different steps that you can take to create a healthy and productive workspace for your employees. Here are just a couple to consider.

Boost natural light

You’re going to want your staff to be as productive as possible. While natural light might not be the first thing to enter your mind when considering staff productivity, it should definitely enter your thought process. Natural light regulates circadian rhythms and can have a profound impact on your employees’ sleep-wake cycle (reducing sleepiness in the workplace) and productivity levels. Wherever possible, trade in harsh, artificial light for cool natural light.

You might also, however, want to invest in Office Window Tint, which can promote a sense of privacy, detract from outdoor distraction, and (if you invest in a UV resistant tint) can also reduce staff exposure to UV rays for the sake of their own health and well-being.

Invest in ergonomic design

No matter what kind of work your staff carry out in the office – dealing with customer queries and complaints, developing new products, updating your company’s social media feeds, or arranging deliveries – they are likely to spend a whole lot of time sitting behind their desks. While this is relatively low risk when it comes to health and safety, it’s extremely important for you to bear in mind that every year thousands of workers are diagnosed with chronic conditions such as repetitive strain injury.

In order to prevent this, you need to have a relatively good understanding of ergonomics. Ergonomics is the study of people’s efficiency in the working area, and various areas have been identified as potentially hazardous to the average worker. As a result, specific furniture and equipment such as the office balance board have been developed to counteract issues. Invest in these, as not only will they keep your staff safe and sound, but they can also help to increase productivity as a result.

These are just two different ways that you can create a healthy workspace for your employees. While the steps may seem simple, they can prove to have profoundly positive effects – and if they’re simple to carry out, there’s no reason to avoid it! Incorporate them into your workspace as soon as possible to start seeing all-round benefits in the near future.

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