Six tips for creating a healthy workplace environment

Creating a strong workplace environment is vital in increasing employee morale, productivity and wellbeing. Fortunately improving the workplace environment does not have to be expensive or time consuming.  

To begin, it is important to establish the contributing factors that help to create a healthy workplace environment: culture of the office, the physical environment, employee wellness and support. With these key factors in mind, we have created six tips on how to create a healthy workplace environment:

1. Reward and Recognise

Rewarding employees and recognising their hard work will keep spirits high within a team. Rewarding and recognising an employee can be something as simple as saying ‘thank you’, or it can be a grander gesture such as monetary rewards, extra holidays or an incentive trip. Reminding your team of their value can go a long way in increasing morale.

2. Good Communication

Having good communication throughout a team, not just between employee and employer, creates a healthier working environment.  Personality clashes are often unavoidable; however, they’re not necessarily a negative. Healthy confrontation and conflict is important in an organisation, as it brings out innovative ideas and opinions. Providing a team communicates openly and disputes are appropriately handled, the workplace environment should thrive.

3. Promote Wellness

Wellness can be overlooked in the workplace; however, The Institute for Healthcare Consumerism found that nearly 70% of employees would participate in workplace wellness programs, if provided by their companies. Employee wellness includes not only mental but also physical health – therefore to promote wellness it is important that the company encourages exercise for example with a walking club at lunch. For mental health, encourage mini breaks and be mindful of workloads.

4. Clean and Comfortable office

The physical space of the office is also important; studies by Office Genie have found that a strong office design can make employees up to 33% happier. Ensure that there is plenty of natural light, space, comfortable furniture and perhaps even paint the walls green – humans’ naturally associate green with nature and tranquillity.

5. Encouraging Stronger Teams

Team building activities help to bridge gaps and build relationships. Often individuals work independently within their roles, team-building activities can encourage positive interactions both within teams and across teams helping to build a better workplace environment. As well as enabling the communication between members of different teams, team building also aids in strengthening the bond between people that work within the same capacity. Having friends within the workplace is so important; in fact, Officevibe found that 70% of employees say friends at work is the most crucial element to a very happy working life. Team building activities help to promote and nurture friendships.

6. Promote a work-life balance

Promoting a work-life balance for employees is essential for a healthy workplace environment. British workers believe their jobs now take up almost half of their life, a study by GymPass has found that a work-life balance is 30% work and 70% life – companies can advocate this by making sure work is left at the office, encouraging time off and allowing flexible working. Having a work-life balance is not only important for health and relationships, but it can also improve employee productivity and performance.

Creating a healthy workplace environment does not have to be difficult or costly. Something as simple as playing music in the office can raise the dopamine levels in the brain, enhancing the mood of the entire team. If employees are happy in their working environment, they are likely to be more productive and work harder.