Now that the Covid-19 pandemic has calmed down, employees are preparing to return to work. Staying healthy at work is a concern for everyone, from employees to management. In fact, 71% of surveyed U.S. employees said they are concerned about health at work and do not feel completely safe in their workplace.
It's important to have a healthy workplace in order for your company to function at its highest capability. Lost productivity due to unhealthy practices can lead to both revenue and personnel loss. To avoid this, all indoor businesses — commercial, industrial, and manufacturing industries alike — should be taking steps to create a healthier workplace.
Aside from the medical and moral benefits of creating a healthy workplace, a study by the chief of occupational and environmental medicine at Dartmouth-Hitchcock found that businesses with focused health and wellness programs tend to do better on the stock market. Looking for ways to stay healthy at work will be as critical a step for businesses as developing an enticing marketing campaign. Businesses that develop a healthy workplace will have the upper hand in the post-Covid marketplace.
What Is A Healthy Workplace?
A healthy workplace exists in a business where employees and managers develop programs and behaviors that consistently create an environment where physical and mental health can thrive. This can range from wellness programs that help employees cope with stress and anxiety to daily actions taken by management and employees alike to help maintain everyone's physical well-being.
Why Is A Healthy Workplace Important?
A Future Workplace Wellness study found that 34% of employees are less productive by up to one hour per day in a workplace environment that doesn't support daily health habits. Moreover, two-thirds of the over 1,600 North American respondents said that the work environment is a deciding factor in whether or not to accept a job. Employers are aggressively competing for the best employees in the post-Covid world. Providing a safe and healthy environment for employees to return to is paramount in building the best team.
A workplace that promotes physical and mental health also sees fewer employees leave. Businesses that commit themselves toward a healthier workplace enjoy the benefits of low turnover, more productive employees, a positive company image, reduced absenteeism, lower health coverage costs, and much more.
To help you with promoting health at work, here are a few tips for office workers for things to keep at their desks at all times.
1. Hand Sanitizer
Hand sanitizer kills germs; everyone knows that. However, having hand sanitizer at your desk will help you save time and keep you safe. Hand sanitizer uses less time than hand washing — imagine having to go to the bathroom every time you touched something you were unsure of — and acts more quickly to kill possibly harmful microorganisms. Additionally, taking proper precautions to avoid spreading germs through hands at work can reduce absenteeism by nearly 40%.
2. Disinfectant Wipes
A clean office means there's less risk of transferring a virus from any one employee to another — or several others. An employee may have clean hands that come in contact with an unclean surface without them even knowing it. Having disinfectant wipes at the ready helps maintain an office-wide habit of cleaning surfaces regularly to reduce the transmission of potentially harmful viruses.
3. Masks
If there's one lesson to be learned from 2020, it's that humans share air with one another much more than everyone thought. Everyone also learned that those who adapt quickly are the most likely to thrive. Masks are here to stay — at least for quite some time — and those who adapt to the new normal are more likely to prosper. The coronavirus isn't the only virus that masks protect you from contracting or spreading. Masks protect you from many viruses, which leave you in a healthy place to be clear-headed, productive, and present at work.
4. Healthy Snacks & Water
The importance of staying hydrated and nourished is often discussed in sports; however, proper hydration and nourishment at the workplace are also essential. Dehydration can lead to headaches, and employees who hydrate properly experience less daytime fatigue. Also, keeping a healthy snack at your desk will help control cravings for unhealthy snacks lingering around the office.
5. A Fan for Air Circulation
Increasing air circulation in your surrounding area not only decreases the opportunity for viruses to linger in your airspace but also helps to improve your productivity. A Future Workplace study found that 44% of employees surveyed said that poor air quality in the workplace makes them tired, and 28% said it also causes physical discomfort, such as dry eyes and throat irritation.
A Healthy Workplace for A Better Future
As you move into the post-Covid workplace, it's important to adjust to the new world and ensure that you're keeping yourself and your colleagues healthy and safe. Doing so is the key to keeping your office productive, positive, and open. At Pegasus, our goal is to deliver high-quality, innovative cleaning services and improve our customers' lives, property, and assets. We will do whatever it takes to satisfy you.
