As reported by the World Health Organisation (WHO), most people will spend a third of their life at work. For many of us, this has meant being indoors in a shared office, historically seated at a desk, in front of a screen. But the WHO also advises that the workplace is a quintessential place that can promote the overall health of a person.
Curating a working environment that promotes a healthy and happy workforce has direct correlations to employee productivity and overall business success. According to a report provided by PricewaterhouseCoopers we are working longer, more irregular hours, at an increased pace and intensity. So as the pressure and stress of the workforce increases, so does the need for an environment that promotes the overall wellbeing of its staff.
While we may not be able to alleviate the workload, there are a number of elements of the workplace we can control. From natural light, to standing desks, not only are many employers seeing the benefit of implementing wellness strategies in their workplace, but employees are now expecting it too.
To keep up with the frequent flow of new ways to promote a healthy workplace, here are 3 invaluable ways you can improve the wellness of your staff:
That’s the tea
It may seem simple, but the ready availability of various high-quality beverages can improve both staff morale and productivity. Specifically, 71% of office workers identified having good tea and coffee available significantly improves their working day.
The time it takes to walk downstairs to buy a coffee from the local café, or even the time it takes to boil the kettle has an impact on momentum and time management. For this very reason, many offices are choosing to install superior coffee machines or even high-tech water stations in order to address this need. Products like the BRITA® VIVREAU ViTap enable employees to efficiently access water, in all forms – chilled still, sparkling or boiling – all day long.
The water cooler effect
Dehydration is productivity’s worst enemy. According to office workers, one of the biggest contributors to an unproductive work environment is not having enough drinking water.
Despite the office water cooler going out of fashion, the need for an informal place for employees to gather, meet and collaborate has not. The office kitchen has stepped in in many ways, but there are only so many meals a day that allow for kitchenette congregations.
Social connections within the workplace are vital aspect of the employee’s wellbeing. According to Forbes, work relationships have a strong impact on an employee’s stress levels, productivity and overall happiness. The installation of a BRITA® VIVREAU ViTap can bring back the water cooler effect in your office – providing a place for staff to step away from their screens and engage face-to-face.
The modern workspace
Sitting can have a major impact on your health. In fact, too much of it has been said to age you by 8 years. It is therefore unsurprising how quickly standing desks have risen to popularity in many office environments. Standing desks are said to improve both your job performance and overall health and wellness. This being said, many workers surveyed have expressed a desire for a more diverse range of spaces for both working and socialising.
In many ways, the modern office continues to evolve. Designing a workspace that promotes wellness thus extends beyond the desk. It can encompass creating quiet spaces, implementing a flexible desk policy, creating workspaces with couches and cushions, or incorporating natural light and ventilation – in fact, the Harvard Business Review named natural light the ‘number one office perk’ last year. Prioritising the design of interior spaces in a workplace is a valuable business investment.
The meaning of wellness, however, is changing. And thus, what a workplace that supports the wellness of its team members looks like is changing too. But from natural light, to free-flowing filtered drinking water – the objective remains the same: The flow on effects of implementing health and wellness strategies in the workplace goes beyond quenching thirst – it impacts the strength and success of your business as a whole.
