In honour of Work Place Well-Being Day on April 29th, we’re sharing some tips to help you create a better and healthier working environment as an employee or an employer.
Employee
As an employee, you may feel like this side of your working life is totally out of your hands. The responsibility for the culture and environment created within your workplace lies with the management and HR department, right?
Of course, there certainly is a responsibility here, but there are also things you can do for yourself to help, even if you have a work-from-home job.
Take Your Breaks
Taking care of yourself is part of the job. You’ve got a limited battery supply and, once it’s gone, you’ll start to struggle. Preventing burnout actually allows you to be the best worker you can be.
So, take those breaks, avail of the holiday days you’ve been allocated and practice that work-life balance.
Get Involved
Humans are sociable creatures and we crave a sense of belonging. If your workplace offers any extracurricular activities. Sports team? Go for it. Charity volunteering? Sign me up!
It will help you bond and build friendships with your colleagues, which will add to your overall happiness in your job. You may find your teamwork skills improving greatly too!
The Gym+Coffee crew at our 5th anniversary Sugarloaf hike.
Look After Your Physical Health
Taking care of your physical health can give you a boost in the workplace. Making sure you’re drinking plenty of water, eating nutritious food and getting out for a bit of exercise during the day can make your working life that bit better.
Employer
As an employer, it’s important to make your workplace well-being a priority.
Appreciation
It is so important that your employees feel appreciated. Acknowledge hard work and recognise achievements. Even a simple thank you during particularly hectic times can go a long way in creating a positive working environment.
Physical Location
Our physical workplace greatly impacts our mood, motivation and overall job satisfaction. It’s important that employees feel safe, with all required health and safety protocols in place.
Comfort is also massively important, so ensure all your employees have the necessary systems and supplies to carry out their job happily.
The workplace should be clean, with all necessary hygiene facilities available with plans in place to maintain this standard.
Encourage Open Communication
Communication is vital for any relationship and this is no different for the workplace.
Creating a space where employees know they have somewhere to go and speak when things get tough is so important.
Likewise, you should have a system where you can speak openly to your staff about their performance (both good and bad), goals and potential career progression.
This will help your employees feel heard and valued.
Self-Employed
Freelancers, business owners + anyone else in this category: LISTEN UP! Since nobody will be there to step in if your workplace well-being practices aren’t up to scratch, you’ve got to step up.
For you, this is all going to come down to establishing a work-life balance for yourself and putting a bit of structure to your day.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Set boundaries around replying to emails outside of ours (Out of Office is your best friend!)
- Take advantage of quieter periods
- Step away from the screen, even if just for a short walk or coffee break
- Create detailed schedule plans to help you finish up on time
- Learn to say ‘no’ when needed or even ‘not right now’
Gym+Coffee
Here at Gym+Coffee, we are committed to creating a happy and healthy workplace for all our staff.
Here are some of the things we’ve got in place at the moment:
- Weekly Running Club
- Flexible Working From Home Options
- Regular Employee Surveys
- Sports + Social Squad For Fun Events
- Healthcare Cover
- Mental Health Policy
Gym+Coffee is committed to creating a healthy workplace.
With that being said, we’re always striving to improve and be better, so we are currently working towards even more initiatives to make sure our workplace is as great as it can be.
Happy Work Place Well-Being Day!
