When it comes to the topic of health and wellbeing in the workplace, this is something that the majority of people associate with the ethical side of entrepreneurship, not its pragmatic aspect. Still, there’s so much evidence to support the idea that the exact opposite is the case. You see, health and wellbeing affect productivity in the workplace in more than a couple of ways. Some of these methods give you a direct boost, while others act indirectly. All in all, here are a couple of tips on how health and wellbeing can affect productivity in the workplace, as well as a couple of tips on how you can use this in your favor.
1. Fewer sick days
The first way in which wellbeing affects productivity in the workplace is the fact that it results in fewer sick days. What this means is that if your employees are unable to work, they’ll stay at home, which means that their tasks will have to be delegated onto someone else. If you’re short-staffed (as is often the case), this means that you will be short on some other end. Moreover, the replacement that you get for them will probably not be as efficient as they were, due to the lack of experience or routine.
2. Ability to focus
Previously, we’ve talked about the absenteeism in the workplace as a major productivity killer, however, the rabbit hole goes even deeper than that. Even when they come to work, the absence will take their toll on their productivity and it might take them a while to get back on track. Other than this, if they still feel weak and worn out, they will be unable to give it their all. A similar thing takes place if they experience some back pain or physical discomfort while in the place of work. Provided that a part of their daily tasks involves physical labor (even if it’s just dragging boxes with office supplies), this might be a major problem.
3. Stress in the workplace
The next thing you need to bear in mind is the fact that stress in the workplace affects one’s productivity but it also does much more than that. It increases the abandonment rate of your staff and makes people far more likely to leave you. Keep in mind, nonetheless, that there are two things that are the most deserving of a high level of stress in the workplace. The first one is the work conditions that often go accompanied by unrealistic deadlines or expectations. The second one is the human factor. A hostile workplace often comes from authoritarian bosses and even coworkers.
4. A sense of unity
In the last segment, we’ve talked about the likelihood that your employees will not be compatible. Sure, there are some people whose personality doesn’t allow them to cope well with others but there are also those who see that the problem lies elsewhere. By investing in teambuilding and providing your staff with essential equipment like work-related hardware, uniforms and even suitable name badges, you’ll already do a lot to bring them all closer together.
5. Greater motivation
Putting the wellbeing of your employees first is something that will increase their brand loyalty and make them work twice as hard in your employ. Namely, investing in their health and wellbeing is not a direct investment in productivity (even though it indirectly does wonders for your brand). What it also does is gives your audience a chance to see you in a completely different light. This way, they’ll be able to realize just how much effort you’re investing in their own wellbeing, even if you, seemingly, have nothing to gain from it.
6. Nutrition, exercise and workplace performance
Lastly, you need to understand that the wellbeing of your staff depends on so many different factors. First of all, their diet might affect their cognitive functions and performance. Healthy fats will improve these functions while sugars and refined carbohydrates may slow them down. Regular exercise, even if it’s just callisthenic deskercise, can also do wonders to improve their cognitive prowess. Lastly, you need to ensure that they get enough breaks. This is why mandatory breaks (even for those who prefer to skip them) are a must. You might also want to consider interval working.
Conclusion
In the end, it’s important to mention that doing all that you can in order to keep your employees healthy (from creating a stress-free environment, all the way to keeping the place immaculate) is not just your duty but also in your best interest. Therefore, the health and wellbeing of your employees need to be your top priority.