An employee’s health can affect their work productivity and enthusiasm. It is also known as human capital formation and it can improve the development of a country’s economy. To be a successful business, you need to understand the importance of an employee’s health and how it can impact the quality of work they produce.
If you do not understand this, you will soon see that an employee or team is underperforming. There are many ways that an employee can maintain a healthy work and life balance. They need to be pointed in the right direction. Here is how you can improve the health of your employees and improve productivity inside your working environment.
Give Workers Control
A study has shown that a lack of discretion with how an employee works can affect their mental health. Moreover, an employee needs to be told what to do and shown how to do it. They also need to have a little freedom in their working hours. For example, allowing them to have a break whenever they feel is a good start. This small change can have a massive impact on their well-being. However, they need a lot more than just an hour’s break for dinner or the freedom to have a short break whenever they want.
An employee might wish to work in another sector and broaden their horizons. If they want to do that then allow them to do it. You do not want to do this straight away as someone will want to fulfil this role. You encourage them to teach someone in that role before they move elsewhere.
Another thing that you could offer is training courses as they can have the option to work in other sectors. Not only does this improve their skill set but, it can increase the possibility of working multiple jobs. This can then get more jobs done during the day without needing to hire any more staff.
An employee does not want to start work at nine in the morning and finish at five in the evening, doing the same job. The reason for this is that they need to have regular rest and have the option to get other jobs done throughout the day. If you ignore this, it can impact their mental health, including their work ethic and reduce productivity in the working environment.
Stability for Employee’s Schedules
Thousands of companies will have a fully booked up day for their employees. We disagree with this for several reasons. One of the main issues we have is that this does not allow them to have a break from work. If they are too busy to have lunch or even a short break for a breath of fresh air. Nine out of ten times their work schedule is too much for them.
A break is needed simply to give their brain a rest. Also may need to have a little time out to sort out family issues. Studies have shown that if a worker is working to a tight and hectic schedule, it can lead to poorer sleeping quality and emotional distress. A study at Gap found that schedule stability can benefit the company and the employees.
Ensure Employees Have Opportunities
Giving employees opportunities at your workplace is another good way to keep them happy. Doing the same job every day can be draining, it would become repetitive. It is why you need to put yourself in their shoes from time to time.
When we say opportunities, what we mean is that you need to allow your employees to progress in their job. Give them a chance to learn something new which will be beneficial for the business and them. Think about it, if they are efficiently doing their current job, offer them the chance for a training session in a different sector. You can either pay for a course for them to learn or put them next to someone doing that job. That way the employee can learn on the job.
Make Sure You Have Enough Staff
Staff is one of the main reasons to make sure the workload for your other employees is not too much. If an employee is working too much, it can affect their overall performance. If they are overworking, they can become rundown which makes them ill.
An employee being ill can lead to two things. One could be them not coming in for a day or two because they are not fit to work. If they turn up to work, they might not work to the standard that they usually do.
If an employee has too much work, it can lead to multiple health issues. All of this depends on the individual. Some people can work in a busy environment. Others need to have a set amount of jobs and time to do them. If they don’t, it can put them under pressure and cause mistakes.
Going back to giving your employees opportunities, this is one of the ways it can be beneficial. If one sector is understaffed, someone who knows the role can cover it. That person can assist in the other sector to even it out. The more your employees know, the more they can assist in the workplace.
Encourage Team Leaders/ Managers To Support Employees
Your managers and team leaders need to understand the personal problems that an employee might be suffering. We all have our issues outside of work at the end of the day. Sometimes, these issues outside of work can affect how you work. It is human for us to be bothered about some things emotionally. It is why your managers need to understand that employees need emotional support.
To Conclude
An employee's mental and physical health is essential for the standard of work you expect. Many things can hinder an employee's health, and this is why you need to have a good understanding. Nine times out of ten, a worker will want to progress in their job. They do not want to be on the same level throughout their whole career, especially if they are young. Encourage them to exercise as it can reduce an employee’s stress levels at work.
Author Bio: Harry Turner is a freelance writer that specialises in several topics. However, his biggest passion comes from health & fitness outside his working hours. Currently, he is spending his time researching the benefits of magnesium glycinate and why it is important for our diet.
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