It’s never been more important to focus on the health and wellbeing of your employees. Last year, the cost of sick staff rose to £77 billion in productivity, with many businesses feeling the strain because of absenteeism. While some absences can’t be helped, there are many due to mental health and poor lifestyle choices that could be tackled in the workplace.
Start thinking more about your employees’ wellbeing with the suggestions below.
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Have open and honest discussions with your staff
It can be difficult to know what’s going on with your employees unless you talk to them. Raising difficult issues such as stress or personal problems can be difficult for employees, especially if relationships aren’t great in the first place. Introduce regular face to face meetings to give employees the chance to raise any concerns and alert you to issues that could be affecting their health and performance. That way, you can devise solutions together to tackle the issue and create a more trusting work environment.
Review health and safety regularly
Health and safety regulations are the law, and you need to fulfill your duty as an employer and ensure that all of your procedures are up to scratch. Carrying out regular testing and checks is important, as is providing your employees with regular training to ensure that they do their jobs safely. You can find out everything you need to know about GPR surveys to help make sure your workplace is safe for staff and customers who walk through its doors. Don’t let health and safety take a back seat – it’s an important part of your role as a business owner.
Launch healthy workplace initiatives
Issues such as inactivity, unhealthy diet, and poor hygiene can take their toll on your employees. Many common illnesses and conditions can be prevented through healthier lifestyles, and you can encourage your employees to take better care of themselves. Take a look at some workplace wellbeing initiatives that you can launch to improve the health of your staff and help them become happier, healthier employees. Simple things like providing free fruit and healthy snacks can make a big difference, so ease up on the cake and biscuits and bring some goodness into the office.
Consider flexible working
Flexible working has demonstrated many benefits to businesses. It can help your employees experience a better work/life balance and can help focus their productivity so that when they are present in the office, they work harder to get the job done. Flexible working involves putting a lot of trust in your employees, but if you manage your team effectively, then you could make it work. Home working and other flexible solutions can also boost the wellbeing of your employees, so consider how you can make this work for your business.
The health and wellbeing of your employees is important. Take active steps to improve things for your staff so that they feel happier and settled in the workplace and in a better place to take care of their health. Making positive changes can increase productivity and drive results for your business, so start putting things in place to boost the wellbeing of your employees today.
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