It is up to management to provide a positive and healthy work environment for employees who spend 8 hours or more in the office. Stress causes health problems which can lead to an inability to perform work duties as necessary. To avoid these situations there are some things you can do to create a healthy workplace for your employees.
4 Tips on Creating a Healthy Workplace for Your Employees
Replace vending machines with healthy snacks.
Employees will often eat the most convenient thing if they get hungry in the office. With vending machines something this means fat or salty snacks, candy bars, or sugary sodas. Remove the vending machines from your office and break rooms and replace the options with bottled water and healthier snacks like fruit.
Offer classes or gym membership perks.
Offer discounts for gym memberships in your areas. If you can, bring a local fitness teacher in to teach a class one afternoon a month or on a lunch break. Yoga, relaxation, Pilates, and other exercise techniques can be really helpful for your employees.
Enforce break times in the office.
Never let your employees eat their lunches at their desks. Make it mandatory that they go somewhere else to eat their lunch and require them to take breaks throughout the day. Forcing yourself to stay at a desk for all 8 hours of a workday can lead to bigger stressors.
Educate the staff on warning signs.
Stress can be insidious. It may be nearly impossible to see how it is affecting the health of a person. Men, in particular, are socialized to ignore warning signs of ill health and may never seek help. Teach your staff about the triggers and warning signs for stress related illnesses.
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