There’s nothing worse than sharing an office with a hypochondriac.
Whether it’s strep throat, dengue fever, African trypanosomiasis or tuberculosis, it seems paranoid Paula from accounts can barely leave home without being struck down bya paralysing disease.
When she does somehow make it into work, her days are spent searching Google for deadly afflictions to match her imaginary symptoms and repeatedly covering her hands with sanitiser …
… but she may be on to something.
While her obsession with life threatening illnesses is tedious and annoying, using hand sanitiser to protect herself from minor illnesses is actually a very smart move.
In fact, when we delve deeper into the 131 million working days lost to sickness absence last year, we find that coughs and colds were the most common reason for employee nonattendance.
With that in mind, what are some of the ways your firm can improve health and wellbeing in the workplace?
Get the Washrooms Up to Scratch
Employees using washrooms resemblingthat scene from Trainspotting will be subjected to higher levels of harmful bacteria, a whiffy welcome of unpleasant odours AND an increased risk of infection due to the state of the shoddy amenities.
Consequently, in an effort to boost the health and wellbeing of your employees, it’s vital to invest in specialist washroom cleaning to get your facilities up to scratch and help stop nasty germs from spreading throughout the workforce.
Emphasise the Benefits of Exercise
While you want to avoid members of staff doing push ups at their desk, it’s important your business is seen to be promoting the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. To that end, there are a number of changes you can make in and around the workplace.
For example, employees keen to cycle to work could be provided with secure parking for their bikes, while a poster campaign could encourage staff to take the stairs rather than the lift. Additionally, you could try setting up a partnership with a local gym to offer subsidised membership.
Don’t Neglect Mental Health
You may not know it, but mental illness costs UK businesses billions of pounds every year, with over 20 per cent of working age men and women affected by depression or anxiety. More than this, one in 10 people have actually resigned from a job due to stress, so it’s clear something has to give.
Admittedly, mental health in the workplace is still a taboo issue, but there are a few things you can do to improve it. Simple things such as encouraging employees to take their lunch break or organising staff picnics can go a long way to ensuring your workforce is mentally healthier.