A healthy workforce works harder and a happy one works better. And with CSR policies becoming an essential feature of the workplace (and the increasing ease of changing jobs if your staff aren’t happy) keeping your employees’ welfare at the forefront is crucial to your long-term success. But this doesn’t have to be expensive, nor do you need to force exercise classes on your office; there are plenty of simple ways to keep employees healthy without spending a fortune on equipment that might not get used. Here’s some of our favourites:<\/p>\n
Depending on where your office is (looking at you, London) your tap water may not be suitable for consumption. And buying bottled water can come at a premium: many employees often admit to simply choosing coffee or carbonated drinks instead. This can have a direct impact on your business, as Loughborough University researchers found that dehydrated drivers were found to make just as many mistakes whilst driving as drunk drivers. But how is this relevant to your staff we hear you ask? <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Snacking in the office is here to stay, and if you can’t eradicate it (and you won’t) then you can at least make sure the option for a healthy, satisfying nibble is available for the office to indulge in. A lack of time and heightened stress levels can make tempting fast food lunches or pre-packaged convenience foods even more appealing; a quick fix but nutritionally detrimental in the long run. And if you’re wanting to avoid the office having the dreaded afternoon sugar crash, it’s time to get nutritious with snacking choices:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Perfect for elevenses or a mid-afternoon craving, not only will staff benefit from bone building calcium and a boost from protein levels but it may also help fend off the dreaded office germs. It’s also loaded with vitamins; for the health conscious amongst us you’ll benefit from potassium, phosphorous, riboflavin, iodine, zinc, and vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid).<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Nuts have been known to lower blood cholesterol levels and they are rich in antioxidants. Some may be high in fats and oils, but they have been known to work as appetite suppressors, and nuts rich in alpha- linolenic acid have shown to have a heart protective benefit during times of acute stress – in other words, right before that important meeting.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n There’s a reason why large companies are providing free fruit on tap: widely known for being rich in vitamins and minerals, and low in calories, fruit is the ideal snack to have handy by the breakout area. In particular, the antioxidants found in berries can improve both memory and motor coordination.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Many diets encourage people to cut out caffeine, but in moderation a study has shown that it can actually boost memory consolidation and is rich in those all-important antioxidants and amino acids. Plus, if you offer your staff a selection of teas – such as herbal, rooibos and fruit infusions – then they might stay away from the dreaded fizzy juice. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Another bonus if you’re working in a serviced office (where there’ll be a lovely cleaner who comes in and does most of the work), keeping your office clean and tidy is paramount to both a more productive workplace, and a healthier one. It’s commonly known that office desks are a bit of a laboratory for germs, and nobody likes reading angry notes or emails about yet another mess in the fridge. Encourage your staff to keep workspaces cleaner, and you’ll have a workforce who’re off sick less often. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n If your staff are too focused on deadlines and upcoming projects to care about keeping desks clean, try and remind them about the professionalism that a tidy desk implies. Now we don’t mean putting up signs or publicly talking to a particularly messy member of staff: this is the kind of thing you need to do leading by example. After all, a messy office can reflect poorly on someone’s performance – who’s thinking about the contract they just pulled when all people can see is the debris of yesterday’s lunch?<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
Consider offering healthy snacking options<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Keep the office space clean and tidy<\/span><\/h2>\n
Go for the professional aspect<\/span><\/h3>\n
Look into the standing desk trend<\/span><\/h2>\n