Employee health should be among a business’ top priorities. Their well-being dictates their ability to work, their productivity, and their engagement in the workplace. An employee wellness article from Forbes reveals that 88% of workers’ definition of “wellness” has changed. Now, they prioritize work-life balance, mental health, and having a meaningful job over stable pay. Given this, employees that don’t feel like their employers care for their wellness may leave their current company in search of a better one.

 

Is your business planning to prioritize employee health even further in the coming months? Here are five ways to do just that.

 

Give employees balanced workloads

 

Heavy workloads can increase stress levels by pressuring employees to work constantly and meet multiple deadlines. This stress can turn into burnout, making them physically unwell from overworking. Mentally, they may start questioning their skills when they fail to accomplish tasks.

 

Assigning balanced workloads is the key to preventing this. For example, you can delegate a mix of easy and complex tasks to each employee. For complicated assignments, assign a group of employees to do the job. That way, everyone gets their fair share of work.

 

Encourage taking regular breaks

 

While working continuously is useful for increasing work output, it’s important to encourage your employees to take breaks. Michigan State University’s 2018 article “Breaks During the Workday” reports that skipping breaks leads to faster burnout, affecting employee well-being.

 

To avoid employee productivity and job satisfaction from lagging—and potentially harming business outcomes—encourage them to go on breaks. Send them a message via chat or walk over to their desk and invite them for a quick coffee. This lets them know it’s okay to rest because you—their employer—prefer that they do so. That way, they build the habit of knowing when to take breaks as needed.

 

Check-in on their mental well-being

 

Employees’ mental wellness is hard to gauge. The mind cannot be seen, and they don’t always voice their mental health concerns, so it’ll be tricky to know if they’re mentally doing okay. To help you gauge how your employees are and adjust their workload accordingly, RelaxifyApp offers some well-being surveys you can use.

 

These questionnaires assess their cognitive, mental, social and emotional performance, giving insight into their mental wellness. Once you see the results, you can implement mental health programs that suit your employees’ needs, such as counseling services. As a result, employees can address their mental health concerns, potentially improving productivity and overall wellness.

 

Introduce fun activities in the office

Incorporating fun in the office can boost employee morale, productivity, and overall job satisfaction. Here are some ways to incorporate fun in the office:

• Celebrate important milestones like birthdays, work anniversaries, and company achievements. You can have a cake-cutting ceremony, provide personalized gifts, or a shout-out on the company’s social media pages.
• Team building activities can help employees bond and work together more effectively. Plan activities like scavenger hunts, group games, and escape rooms to add an element of fun and teamwork.
• Allowing flexible work arrangements such as work-from-home options or flexible work schedules can reduce stress and boost morale.
•  Creating a relaxed environment can help employees feel more comfortable and productive. Consider adding comfortable seating areas, ping pong tables or pool tables, and a break room for employees to relax during their breaks.
• Hosting themed events like costume parties, holiday celebrations, and talent shows can bring employees together and create a fun and festive atmosphere.
• Providing healthy snacks like fruit, nuts, and granola bars can boost energy levels and help employees stay focused.

 

Implement ergonomics in the workplace

 

Employee comfort may be overlooked in favor of other wellness initiatives, like offering yoga classes. However, their comfort when working is crucial to their health. Bad posture can increase pain, discomfort, and injuries, affecting productivity and potentially leading to sickness.

To avoid this, implement ergonomics into the workspace such as ergonomic chairs and standing desks. These can encourage employees to maintain better posture by properly supporting their back, hips, and neck. These can also decrease pain, allowing them to become more productive.

By implementing ergonomic principles, employers can create a safer, healthier, and more comfortable work environment that can reduce employee stress and fatigue, improve their physical and mental health, and enhance overall job satisfaction and productivity.

 

Employee health can dictate their productivity, engagement, and willingness to stay in their companies. Follow the tips above to focus on this crucial factor more effectively!

Author: Reese Jones