Keeping your staff fit and healthy
Creating a healthy workplace for staff is an investment that every business, large or small, should consider. The benefits of a healthy workplace include:
Reduction in staff illnesses and absences
Limited increased workloads for healthy employees as they cover for unwell colleagues
Happier staff
Demonstrating a commitment to the wellbeing of your staff
Improved business reputation
A chance for staff to socialise on an informal basis
The advantages for your business include: less hours lost through illness, good staff retention rates and a positive working environment.
Achieving a healthy workplace
The first thing you can do is to foster a positive attitude around health and well-being. Think about the working environment and consider making changes that will allow your staff to lead healthy lives while they are at work.
Gut instinct
Prove you really care about your staff by ensuring the canteen offers healthy options on the menu; offer healthy options in the vending machines; provide facilities such as a fridge and toaster so staff can make healthy snacks for themselves.
Good hygiene
Encourage proper hygiene by ensuring that restrooms are kept clean and tidy with hand sanitisers and tissues; first aid equipment is maintained to a high standard; supply disinfectant and wipes so work stations can be kept clean and germ-free and empty waste bins regularly.
Take a break
Also, encourage staff to take regular breaks, if possible incorporating some physical activity. Maybe suggest a lunchtime running or walking group; if time allows, encourage your staff to go to a lunchtime class at the gym; a trip to the outdoor swimming pool at Jesus Green during the summer is a great way for staff to clear their heads before the afternoon session in the office.
Getting active makes a happy, healthy workplace
Following on from this point, getting your staff to be more active is probably one of the most effective ways of creating and maintaining a healthy workplace. You can achieve this in a number of ways:
Encourage your staff to enter fun runs and charity events. A physical fitness challenge is a great way to get the staff working together as a team. Consider entering the Dragon Boat Race or the Cambridge Chariots of Fire team race.
Install bike racks and showers so that staff can ditch the car and cycle, run or walk to work. This will also alleviate parking issues and help solve the city’s huge congestion problems.
Enter your workplace into a social sporting event. Basketball, 5-a-side football, a squash league – there are many, many corporate events that take place on a weekly basis. Find out what your staff may be interested in doing and then get a team entered.
Corporate gym membership
Finally, consider a corporate gym membership. Many of your staff will probably have gym memberships already, if you take out a corporate membership you will be helping to save them money and, importantly, indicating the importance you place on a healthy workplace. Take a look at the Kelsey Kerridge Corporate Membership deal – you only need five employees to start taking advantage of some great discounts. The cost to your company is a small price to pay for a healthy, happy staff.
