Why is good Employee Health good for Business?
In 2018, male full-time employees in the United Kingdom worked an average of 39 hours a week, with women working an average of 34.1 hours a week.With this in mind health and wellbeing should be high on the list of every business agenda.
The physical and mental wellbeing of staff has one the largest impacts on the people and the cost of the business, consequently making it a critical concern for any organisation.
Research by Britain’s Healthiest Workplace, one of the UK’s largest studies of workplace health, puts the cost of lost productivity due to absenteeism and presenteeism at £57 billion per year. Everything from lost sales, slowed manufacturing, turnover, sick pay and the cost to cover for sick employees.
The overall cost of claims on policies such as employer’s liability, group life, income protection and various other insurances and benefits, all of which increase the cost of lost productivity significantly.
Health, Engagement and productivity
The link between health, engagement and productivity is well evidenced. Tangible outcomes of poor health are motivating more and more organisations to take an interest in the factors that affect people’s health both inside and outside the workplace, and to find ways to differentiate their employer brand by focusing on well-being.
As we spend so much time at work, employees should be creating a positive and supporting atmosphere. Healthy and well-motivated employees can have an equally positive impact on the productivity and effectiveness of a business. That’s why, small but effective health and wellbeing implementations within the workplace can have a massive impact.
Mindfulness Training
As a start, mindfulness training can be a great tool to help your employees relieve stress and feel balanced, but also increase productivity and focus on their day-to-day work. Mindfulness practices such as meditation, breathing, and yoga may help employees be more present as well as enhance their efficiency. At the end of the day, implementing a mindfulness program is a win-win for both the employee and the company.
Research has also suggested that muscular pains are the biggest catalyst for distraction. Furthermore, the HSE statistics have highlighted that 40% of all 186,000 muscular-skeletal cases in the UK where back related.
If you catch yourself tensing your muscles or hunching over your computer, take a deep breath and consciously loosen each muscle in your posterior chain, perhaps stretch, sit up straight, and keep focused.
Something fun
Lastly, encourage employees to wear something fun, bright and colourful can help to lighten your day. Why add to the drab colour scheme of the office by wearing varying shades of black, grey and navy? Studies have suggested that certain colours and shades can have positive effects on our mood and emotions. Splashing a little colour onto your palette with a tie or new scarf can help lift your spirits, inspire calm and fend off those office blues.