In an increasingly competitive world, most businesses understand the importance of creating a good customer experience. There’s a growing trend among forward-thinking businesses to place just as much emphasis on creating a happy work environment for employees. Taking such steps can have several benefits for employers, from cutting down on turnover rates to increases in productivity. The focus on total well-being for employees has a lot to do with creating a desirable place to work. Total well-being in the workplace goes beyond physical layout. It’s equally important to pay attention to mental health and financial health to create a top-quality work environment that’s conducive to both better productivity and improved employee satisfaction.
Sitting has been described as “the new smoking” in terms of the effects it can have on employee health. For this reason, many employers have been giving their team the option to use height-adjustable desks to make it easier to shift from a sitting to a standing position throughout the day. It’s one way to reduce the risk of developing lower back pain, one of the most common reasons for missed days of work in the United States.
Other companies are including access to fitness programs, with some being more creative than others. Multi-media financial-services company Motley Fool, for example, has a comprehensive wellness program in place that includes free spinning classes and boot-camps. They even offer in-house subsidized massages. There are also businesses that offer incentives for employees who bike to work when it makes sense to do so. Even taking smaller steps, such as making healthy office snacks available in the break-room, can help encourage healthier habits.
According to a 2017 wellness study, roughly half of all employees surveyed reported experiencing stress because of financial issues. This added stress can certainly contribute to related health issues. One way businesses are easing this burden for the employee, especially millennials fresh out of college with student loan debt weighing heavy on their minds, is by offering access to business and debt management tools.
It’s estimated that more than 40 million Americans are struggling to pay off more than a trillion dollars in student loan debt. This is why companies like Chegg, Fidelity Investments and PricewaterhouseCoopers have programs in place to help employees pay down or completely pay off their student debt. Some companies are going even further and offering financial coaching sessions to help workers understand the basics of saving for the future and investing wisely.
Mental Well-BeingMental health awareness is becoming an increasingly important part of the corporate and business culture today. The idea behind taking such steps is simple – if employers take more of an active role in helping workers struggling with mental health issues, those employees are more likely to have more energy and a better focus on their work. Some companies achieve this goal by hiring therapists or mental health counselors to visit the workplace on a regular basis. Other businesses provide assistance for employees preferring to seek outside treatment or therapy.
Numerous studies show that employees dealing with emotional stress are more likely to be less productive and absent from work on a regular basis. Plus, promoting an emotionally healthy work environment is ultimately good for both individuals and other employees who share the same workspace. This is particularly true in a day and age when more business activities involve collaboration and cooperative efforts.
Improving the overall quality of your workplace environment involves several steps, one of which is to create a physical space that’s free of barriers that could discourage communication and present possible sources of stress. The team from Office Innovations is here to help with this step. We offer extensive assistance with the selection and installation of office furniture in a way that’s designed to fit in with today’s modern interior spaces. Take a moment to explore our affordable solution.
