How To Improve Health In Your Office Environment

In large shared offices, the air can quickly become very hot and make you feel claustrophobic, even in an open plan office. The condensed area can cause bacteria to spread, and viruses to be contracted. These factors of a stuffy office space can cause workers to lack in focus and motivation. Here are some exciting and unique ways to improve the living quality of health and happiness in your office environment.

Make the Place More Inviting

In order to make staff feel happier within the environment that they work, perhaps allow them to make it more homely. Suggest that each member of staff can bring in their own things such as ornaments, posters and photos to place around their desk space.

Environment

This will remind them of their lives outside of work and help them to feel motivated to do their very best at their job in order to maintain a good quality of life outside of the workplace. Small changes like this, rather than bland white screens concealing the desks can really cheer the place up, which is always a good thing for the mental health of the employees.

Cleanliness and Heat

This suggestion is not an innovative, unique one but a very sensible one. Ensure there is a good air conditioning system installed. An enclosed shared office space can become very sticky and hot, even during the colder months of the year. Anyone would lose focus if they felt clammy and stressed, so keep the air cool in order to maintain the motivation of workers.

As for cleanliness, bugs and viruses can be easily spread in a small area that inhabits a large amount of people. To reduce this, install a hand sanitizer dispenser both inside the office and outside of the door and request that staff must use the hand gel both when entering and exiting the office space. This will kill any germs that could possibly spread and give workers confidence that they will not easily get sick.

Social Activities

Once a week (a Friday would be a good idea) introduce an activity within the office to build the spirits of workers. This could be bringing in snacks or treats to share, creating a game based around work to promote healthy competition, trivia quizzes with prizes or even team-based work. This will allow staff the time to socialise, preventing stress and isolation.

Mental issues such as depression and anxiety can arise very quickly when working in a dull space without much communication throughout the week and so introducing these kinds of activities will allow for friendships to be made, improving the mental health and happiness of workers.

The great thing about this idea is that the activity can change from week to week. It may seem that this will distract the staff from their work, but it is only held once a week and will allow them to have something to look forward to and give them a release from the hard hitting, serious week beforehand.

Unique Decor

The dull, dark, tedious tone of the white/grey walls that are usually associated in the office space are enough to make anyone feel depressed. Create walls that release good vibes by decorating the place with vibrant colours, whacky posters, murals, designs.

The environment will instantly feel more fun and the staff will love the area in which they work. The decoration of a room may not seem important to a person’s well-being, but it truly is, different colours, designs and layouts can create different moods.

Interesting, and relatively new, inventions are living green walls like these which can have great health benefits. It may seem unorthodox to have a large living wall inside of an office building, but why not go one step further than the average office plant?

They are safe to install in an office environment, are incredibly sustainable and will provide a welcoming feel to staff and clients entering the room. Increase the value of your property with one of these walls by up to 20% whilst absorbing and cleaning pollutants from the air. The benefits to one of these walls are endless for both the staff and the building!

Revamp your office environment today and see the dramatic difference in the happiness and focus of your employees! Most of these changes are cost effective and small, but will have a very large impact on the progression of your company.

Please leave a comment below to make a suggestion of what you would like to make the office you work in a better place.