Encourage your employees to step away from their desks
By providing a range of break-out and communal areas, ranging from kitchens to informal meeting areas, or positively endorsing working remotely or ?hot desking? from different areas in the office, employers can encourage employees to spend essential, but still productive, time away from their desks. At Office Space in Town, we provide the highest possible percentage of communal areas, including client lounges, in house bars and cafes and breakout spaces. We actively encourage employees to see the office not only as a workplace but also somewhere they can relax and enjoy downtime.Encourage physical fitness
Encouraging physical exercise is simple to implement but can have a profound impact on the wellness of a workforce. Where no onsite-gym is available, employers can offer subsidised gym memberships or bicycle payment plans. FitBit?s uses its own wrist tracker technology to inspire competition within the office: there are rewards for the most active staff members. Some of the longest work absences in 2016/17 related to work related musculoskeletal disorders.? Regular ergonomic assessments of employees? desk/ chair arrangements can reduce this. We look to promote physical wellness at all our serviced offices. As well as providing onsite gyms where possible, we offer our employees weekly MobFit high intensity interval classes, and provide underground bike sheds to encourage cycling to work.Address mental wellness head on
Whilst 60 per cent of board members and senior managers believe their organisation supports people with mental health issues, only 11 per cent discussed a mental health problem with their line manager according to a report by Deloitte. Putting in place a clear policy around supporting mental health in your work place, including a supportive, open and transparent culture with clear lines of communication facilitating individuals to discuss their concerns would be a good first step.Celebrate the little things
Mental wellbeing is closely associated with a sense of being valued, particularly in the workplace.? Even the smallest of gestures can inspire a disproportionately positive sense of being appreciated. Cakes and cards on birthdays or recognition for good work such as on the spot bonuses, bottles or wine of bunches all contribute to an employee?s sense or being valued. As a family-run company, we cultivate as sense amongst our employees of being part of the ?Office Space in Town family?. We celebrate birthdays, Christmas, and employee anniversaries, and aim to keep our family in mind in everything we do. In turn we are rewarded with hard work and low staff turnover. CEOs and business leaders know that the most important source of company excellence is our people. It’s our responsibility as business owners to invest in the health and wellbeing of our employees, and the benefits will be clear.This article is part of a wider campaign called Founders Diaries, a section of Real Business that brings together 20 inspiring business builders to share their stories. Bringing together companies from a wide variety of sectors and geographies, each columnist produces a diary entry each month.?Visit the Founders Diaries section to find out more.
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