We have all walked into a place, whether it is someone’s home, store, or business, and immediately had the desire to leave. Identifying an unhealthy work environment and creating a healthy work environment is paramount to optimizing your employee’s productivity and level of satisfaction at work. How do you go about achieving this? Read on to find out.
In this article, you will learn what your employees want at work, what a healthy workspace looks like, what the impacts of an unhealthy workspace actually are, and 5 ways to improve your office’s work environment.
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What do employees really want at work?
The big question is, what do employees really want at work? To figure that out, we looked at a recent survey conducted by Future Workplace and View to figure out which wellness perks matter to employees most and how these perks might impact productivity.
Surprisingly, they found that employees want the basics:
- Better air quality
- Access to natural light
- Ability to personalize their workspace
Half of the respondents said poor indoor air quality makes them sleepier during the day, and more than a third reported up to an hour lost in productivity as a result. In fact, air quality and light directly impact an employee’s performance, happiness, and well-being
What does a healthy office workspace look like?
A healthy workspace is comprised of many different factors that all coexist together to create a positive work experience for every employee.
Organizations should make improvements to conquer a high-quality workplace, which includes natural lighting, good ventilation, and comfortable temperatures. Other research has shown that employees who are satisfied with their office space are:
- 16% more productive
- 30% more attracted to their company over competitors
- 18% more likely to stay
On top of that, the impacts of an unhealthy workplace can cause long-term problems for employees and the company.
The impact of an unhealthy workplace
In the event you are unable to create a safe and comfortable workplace for your employees, you run the risk of creating long term problems for your workers as well as their environment. Here are a few of the long-term effects of an unhealthy workplace:
- Excessive absenteeism
- Chronic employee tardiness
- Increase in Worker’s Compensation claims
- Lack of productivity
- Inability to fill staffing gaps
If your workplace chronically displays these issues, you may have a “toxic work environment.”
A “toxic work environment” is any job where the work, the atmosphere, the people, or any combination of those things makes you so dismayed it causes severe disruptions in every other aspect of your life.
5 ways to improve your office’s work environment
Every boss or business owner wants to take steps towards improving their employee’s work environment, but how exactly do you go about that? Here are five easy ways to improve your work environment, regardless of your line of work.
Increase natural light wherever possible
It has been proven that natural light increases productivity and decreases eye strain, so make an effort to keep your workplace well-lit with soft, warm lighting and open up the blinds to let in the sunshine.
Company guidelines
Make sure your company has a clear and fair set of company rules guidelines and policies in place for your employees that detail out expectations across every position and level of management.
Open-door policy
Encourage an open-door policy among your workers in which they can come to you with concerns of any size and provide actionable solutions to their concerns.
Upgrade desks and chairs
Your employee’s chairs and desks are where they spend most of their day. Proper posture and ergonomics are essential to a comfortable work environment as to long term health.
Ensure good indoor air quality
As discussed before, poor indoor air quality can negatively impact your employees’ performance and productivity. The EnviroKlenz Standard Air Purifier contains a 2-stage filtration system to give you the cleanest air possible in your office.
The first stage of the filtration is an air cartridge that includes a patented earth mineral technology that captures and neutralizes odors and VOCs from the air without releasing any byproducts into your environment. The second stage is a medical-grade HEPA filter that captures 99.9% of particles from the air. Get yours today to breathe clean, healthy air in your office!
EnviroKlenz® Medical Disclaimer:
“Any information that is provided on this website is not for the use by any commercial or personal entity without expressed written consent of the blog author. The material and statements illustrated within this blog are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases or medical conditions. Nor does the author in any way guarantee or validate the validity, totality, or efficacy of any claims and will therefore not be held responsible for the content of any claims. Always consult your medical physician for any specific medical advice or recommendations.”