As a business owner, part of your responsibility is to look out for the welfare of your employees. Remember, your workforce is the most valuable asset of your organization; without them, you wouldn’t be able to operate your business, generate sales, or earn profits. Furthermore, neglecting the needs of your employees will also affect their morale and productivity at work, adversely affecting your company. So, how can you ensure your workers stay on top of their performance and productivity levels?
One way to encourage productivity and promote good work habits in your employees is to provide them with a clean and healthy workspace. A healthy workplace is more than just getting rid of the clutter or keeping the desks clean. It’s about providing your employees with comfort throughout the day that will help boost their morale and reduce their instances of feeling stressed or anxious at work.
With that said, you should take a look at your current workspace and see if it reflects your organization’s values or exudes a certain level of professionalism. Is the space too crowded, or are the desks too close to each other? Perhaps the place is a bit dim for your workers, or maybe the temperature is too hot or too cold. If you think your workspace requires some changes, here are some of the best ways to help you create a better and healthier workspace for your employees.
1. Improve the indoor air quality of the place
Among the most overlooked aspects in the workplace is indoor air quality. Unfortunately, not paying attention to the indoor air may result in poor indoor air quality, especially since office workspaces are often prone to dust, dirt, and allergens. Poor indoor air quality may result in your employees potentially suffering from health conditions like allergies, coughing, headaches, sinus congestion, and sneezing. Other than that, poor air quality may also cause irritations on the skin, eyes, throat, or nose, all of which can adversely affect your workers’ productivity.
One way to improve your workspace is by installing an HVAC system. An HVAC system will help maintain good indoor air quality and keep it at a comfortable temperature. It also comes with filters to reduce the amount of dirt, dust, and other allergen particles that may trigger various respiratory problems.
If you have employees who are specifically allergic to dust and allergens, having HVAC systems can help enhance the air quality and provide a healthier workspace for them. You may check out some commercial HVAC companies and find out which air conditioning option is suitable for your workspace. They’ll also help maintain your HVAC system to ensure it functions efficiently for a long time.
2. Invest in ergonomic office furniture pieces
Backaches, neck pains, and headaches are common health issues that employees might feel or experience in an office workspace. These health problems tend to crop up when workers are sitting with poor posture for hours on end simply because they’re not sitting on something more ergonomic.
That said, you should always make sure that your office space has specialized office chairs. The chairs must be adjustable to accommodate both short and tall employees. It’s also recommended to buy office chairs with good lumbar support to provide optimal back, neck, and spine support and promote proper sitting posture.
You should also consider getting standing desks for your workplace. Some employees prefer working while standing up as it lets them stretch their limbs out while they are working. Ultimately, incorporating ergonomic office furniture will encourage your employees to maintain proper sitting and standing posture, which helps in creating a healthier workspace.
3. Encourage everyone to participate in organizing and cleaning the workplace
Did you know that only around 64% of the employees clean up their office spaces once a month? Because of this, office desks are considered major hot spots for germs, allergens, or even mold growth. To create and maintain a healthy workspace, you should encourage your employees to clean and organize their office desks on a regular basis.
For instance, you can schedule every Friday as a general cleaning day wherein employees have one hour to organize and clean their office desks. You can provide wet wipes or alcohol for your employees to keep their desks sanitized.
4. Provide healthy snacks in the workplace
Creating a healthy workspace isn’t always about keeping the place clean. It’s also about stocking your workspace with food and drinks that can help boost your employees’ general health. Generally, office workspaces have coffee vending machines inside. However, coffee alone won’t be enough to provide your employees with enough nutrition they need to improve their health. So, aside from that coffee vending machine, you may also stock up your workspace with some fresh and healthy snacks.
Some healthy office snacks you can have may include:
- Nuts and dried fruits
- Almonds
- Raisins
- Tuna packs
- Apples and peanut butter
- Oatmeal packets
- Whole-grain crackers
- Green smoothies
Stocking your office workspace with nutritious snacks will help keep your employees energized and productive. This could also be a good reason for your employees to start ditching unhealthy junk food.
Besides these healthy snacks and coffee vending machines, ensure your employees have unlimited access to fresh and clean water. Like food, drinking water is crucial for their well-being. To encourage hydration, place a water bubbler or water cooler inside the office so your employees can refill their personal water tumblers at any time.
5. Add some greenery
Working in one place for 8 to 9 hours can be tough. Sometimes, the idea of being contained in an office every single day can cause anxiety or stress for the people inside, especially if the weather outside is beautiful.
To help prevent your employees from feeling anxious, stressed, or stuck, consider adding a touch of greenery inside their workplace. Opt for simple indoor plants that do not require too much maintenance. Bringing in some plants will help improve the air quality of the workplace and help spruce up your workspace’s aesthetic design, providing positive psychological benefits for the employees inside.
6. Let the natural light inside
Although you may already have enough light fixtures in your workspace, it’s still better to have natural light illuminating part of your workspace during the daytime. Natural light is known to help boost employees’ moods and alertness. Furthermore, daily exposure to natural light may help them sleep better at night and improve their quality of life.
So, during the daytime, fill your workspace with plenty of natural light by partially opening the blinds or the windows. That way, you can keep the lights on only in areas of the workspace where natural light can’t reach. Just make sure the room is cool enough because too much natural light also means the room could get very hot.
Key Takeaway
Providing a clean, healthy, and comfortable workspace is the key to improving your employees’ mood and ability to perform well at work. The next time you redesign your workspace, keep these tips in mind and your team will greatly appreciate these changes.
