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All employers want their employees to be healthy. With such a heavy focus on excellent employee health, both body and mind, a dedication to ensuring such health and wellness can make your company more attractive than others.
But keeping people healthy is not as easy as simple health and safety procedures (although you can’t forget that). It stretches through all facets of your company, building upon blocks that ensure productivity, success, and above all else, employee satisfaction.
If you’re thinking of updating your health policies to make your business a more attractive place to work, here are some useful tips to get you started.
Pains and Strains
Whether you run a creative business based out of an office or are a traveling artist, there’s always the chance for injuries, pain, and strains.
You can find these sorts of injuries by sitting down all day, which anyone who’s ever been in an office will remember. Your business can prevent this by investing in ergonomic furniture to minimize the stress on the neck, lower back, and shoulders. Encouraging them to take breaks every hour or so to stretch their legs is also useful, even if it’s just a quick stroll around the office.
But office furniture doesn’t solve anything if you’re employees are not in an office. For those on the road, it’s essential to take regular breaks to stretch their legs. Whether they are driving or riding as a passenger, they’ll relish the opportunity to get out of the car.
If the right office furniture and regular breaks don’t solve their problems, it’s beneficial to provide physiotherapist services to help them recover. Providing such services shows you care about their wellbeing and are willing to help get them back to their best so they can feel comfortable at work and get back to their productive best.
Stress and Burnout
As much as physical pain can affect your employers, so too can stress and burnout, particularly in creative industries.
Feeling a block is the worst thing that many creatives experience, especially when there is a deadline to meet. This is easy for people to become overwhelmed with the worry that they won’t finish on time or even create something to standard.
There are many ways to allow them to cope with stress and burnout. You can provide a safe room for them to collect their thoughts or offer assistance to help them work through potential ideas to get over the stumped hump.
Some employees may have a previous experience where they were scolded for slow work or ‘bad’ ideas. You can break this cycle by fostering a culture of support and understanding. In turn, they won’t be afraid to fail, but instead, know they have people to help them if they need it.
Full Stomachs
At the core, people are basic beings. We need water, light, interaction, and arguably most importantly, food. A full stomach is necessary for focus and productivity. It fuels the mind and the body and is what you need first thing in the morning.
But some of your employees might have busier lives than others. They may need to take the kids to school. They may need to catch several buses to get to work. There might even be some who cannot afford to eat breakfast because of student loans or other financial issues.
Offering free breakfast, then, is good for both the body and the mind. You don’t need to put out a full spread or Full English Breakfast, but you can offer a healthy option to ensure everyone gets going and aren’t distracted by rumbling stomachs throughout the morning.
Safety Procedures
Safety procedures are paramount in every work environment, and your employees need to understand what to do in the event of a fire or other issues. Just because your employees aren’t working with heavy machinery and tools doesn’t mean that they still don’t have to follow the rules and guidelines.
You must get them to recognize hazards and potential dangers when they arise. Knowing how to evacuate safely and get to the right point is vital for ensuring employee safety and keeping everyone healthy for when they get back to work.
In creative workshops, it’s also important to remind your employees to tidy up after themselves. You don’t want them spilling paint or supplies, which could be a trip hazard. There are also cables from filming equipment or massive structures from sets.
Communication
Creating a culture of communication helps everyone to feel like they can discuss issues without the risk of being ignored and hopefully allows everyone to work towards a solution.
Too many businesses of the past operated with a distinct hierarchy. While it’s not advisable to allow your employees to walk all over you, it’s still useful to create a relaxed working culture that everyone feels comfortable in.
Ensuring your employees feel comfortable voicing opinions doesn’t just help them feel more confident, it also promotes a positive workplace that helps everybody get involved, and this can foster a community environment within your company.
Perks and Benefits
Offering perks and benefits when signing the contract will give your new employees a boost and make them happy they have started with you even before they finish their first day.
There are plenty of benefits to include that both promote and incentivize healthy living, which will vary depending on the size of your company. Larger companies can offer free or discounted gym memberships, while smaller businesses and collectives can offer rewards for cycling or taking the bus to work over driving.
Creating such incentives can inspire people to try things they wouldn’t usually. Providing an easy outlet for exercise will make them feel more comfortable getting into shape without worrying about extra expenses they may not be able to afford right now.
A Healthy Business Is a Successful One
Often, it doesn’t take a lot to show your employees you care about their health, and even if you can’t offer an excellent benefits package, there are still other ways that you can support the health – both physical and mental – of your employees. By balancing generous and rewarding benefits, you can make your company a more attractive place to work for the best around.
Want to learn more?
- Just starting out? CLICK HERE
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We’re here to help you to take action just like we’ve helped thousands of other entrepreneurs, business owers and creative professionals all around the globe.
Now is the time to let your passion SHINE.
Now is the time to Make Tomorrow Today!
To your success,
Vinh Van Lam & Stuart Horrex
Your Coaches ArtSHINE industries
