How To Create A Healthy Working Environment

If you want your employees to be happy and productive, you need to make sure there is a healthy working environment. Sick building syndrome is known to cause physical symptoms in staff brought on by the working environment. When you create a healthy working environment you can ensure low absence rates, well-rounded employees and much more. Creating such an environment isn't hard. Here are the top 8 tips you need to follow for success and ensure that you make small changes that have the best impact.

1. Strike The Right Tone With A Careful Colour Palette

The colours you choose to decorate the workspace will have a profound effect on the overall mood of your employees. It will also affect their creativity and wellbeing. Here are some amazing colors you should definitely consider.

Orange - It is mostly used in fitness centers. It increases enthusiasm and energy. Orange is mostly effective when used sparingly, especially on cushions, accent walls and artwork.

Red - It boosts energy levels, heart rate and blood pressure levels. It also stimulates conversations and encourages collaboration. Red is mostly used sparingly on accent features such as rugs and sofas.

Pale Blue - It is an amazing color that improves focus and overall productivity. It is a great shade to use in your workplace.

2. Enable Healthy Food Choices

When you're feeling low and unproductive, it's easy enough to reach for a quick snack in the form of crisps, sports drinks or chocolate bar. However, snacking frequently on processed or fatty foods will result in a negative impact on your overall health.

If you're lucky enough to have a canteen or cafe on site, you should make healthy decisions when stocking food. Add more water and juices instead of sports drinks. Also, you should make sure that fresh fruits are widely available. They should be competitively priced compared to the sugary snacks.

Use nudge theory to encourage people to make the best food choices for their long-term health. By encouraging people to eat healthy, they will not experience afternoon crashes and will have a good time all round. Even better, there will be a noticeable improvement in their productivity.

3. Encourage Movement

Adults should do at least 30 mins of exercise everyday. Therefore, as an employer, you need to encourage regular exercise amongst your employees. It's a great way to boost employee morale and productivity. You will also work towards boosting their mental health. Start by introducing cycle to work schemes as part of employee benefits. You should also organize sporting activities after work such as netball or football. Encourage your employees to take a stroll during their lunch break or take the stairs instead of using the lift.

4. Invest In Comfortable Furniture

At work, most people spend more than 9 hours sitting every day. Most of this sedentary time is spend at work or commuting. Millions of working hours are lost to musculoskeletal disorders caused by work.

As an employer, you need to invest in ergonomic chairs. You should also encourage staff to maintain good posture at all times. Most employers are now investing in treadmill desks or standing desks. Therefore, you need to make it possible for your employees to exercise when at work.

5. Decorate With Living Plants

Add plants around the office to improve the appearance of the workplace. It will also improve employee health and overall productivity. Plants also make the place look serene and beautiful at all times.

6. Add Some Music

Listening to music releases dopamine. It is a chemical that makes you feel good thereby putting everyone in a good mood. Music is also a great motivator and improves concentration, especially if you are working in an open-plan office or busy environment. Of course, before setting up the music apps, you need to consider the feelings of your co-workers. Think about whether they will appreciate listening to your genre of music or if they will feel disrupted by it. You can always invest in the best noise-canceling headphones so everyone can work in peace.

7. Invest In Good Lighting

Most employees love working in natural lighting, especially for people who suffer from migraines. Florescent lights are not ideal for such people because they trigger their attacks. The lights in the office should be properly positioned to avoid reflecting off other items since it may lead to headaches and eye strain.

8. Offer Free Fruit In The Office

Yes, cake is good but not ideal if you want to eat healthy. Rather, you should offer your employees free fruit snacks. Some of the best fruits include;

Apples - They improve colon health and control blood sugar levels. They are a good source of Vitamin C too.

Cherries - They contain a high concentration of anthocyanins (both 1 and 2). These are useful because they block enzymes known for causing inflammation.

Grapes - They contain vitamin B6, A and C. They also contain folate and other essential minerals.

Blackberries - They are rich in lutein, an antioxidant that promotes eye health.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes