A homely workplace sounds like one of those impossible dreams or an oxymoron like acting naturally or a liquid gas. The mind can’t fully comprehend the statement, a homely workplace: It is the combination of two elements that clearly shouldn’t belong together. Home and the workplace are and should be two separate entities. While this is true, there is nothing that says that your team should feel less happy in the workplace than they are in their home. Of course, you may have fewer bedrooms and relaxing options, but a happy state of mind and comfortable surroundings are indications of a better productivity. So, of course, you should be looking at ways of making your staff feel at home, by which we mean creating a safe, secure, comfortable and environment that supports self-confidence, initiative and creativity.
Health Matters As A Priority
At the core of a safe working environment, the respect of health and safety measures is an essential factor to integrate into everyday work routine. Beyond the obvious H&S legislation, such as keeping your building structure safe, there are also elements of personal health to take into consideration. Back and wrist pain for people who work on computers all day are a current complaint. As a result, it’s important for a business to invest in comfortable and ergonomic furniture, from the chair to an arm support that can be mounted to the keyboard. You also need to provide good lighting for every desk in the workplace, as poor lighting can cause severe headaches and put your staff health at risk. Finally, regular breaks are a right in every workplace. However, it’s important to make it clear to your employees that these are available throughout the day when they need.
But Comfort Matters Too
British employees spend between 8 and 12 hours a day at the office. This results in workplaces having upgraded their structures to include a break room and a kitchen area, that you can furnish with canteen appliances such as professional items from Bryson Products Ltd, for example. Some offices even have entertainment equipment to create a relaxing atmosphere for breaks, such as a pool table, a TV or even a nice sofa for a friendly chat between colleagues. The idea is that providing your staff with everything they will need during the day means that they are more likely to work a little longer to finish urgent projects instead of going home at 5 pm.
Let’s Talk About Mental Health Matters
There is a grey area of the workplace that is causing a lot of troubles to the NHS. Work-related stress has been on the rise for the past decade, not only costing your business a lot but also evolving into serious cardiovascular cases. Stress in the workplace can have various reasons. Someone who is constantly overworked is likely to suffer from a burnout syndrome and always feel under pressure, for example. But someone who is frustrated by the job and who doesn’t receive enough credit also works under a lot of pressure. In short, it’s your job as a manager/ business director to recognise signs of stress and to solve the issues before your employees leave you for good.
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