Trying to run a business with an unhealthy workforce can be incredibly difficult. High levels of absenteeism, low productivity and a safety risk to the wellbeing of your employees will all have a knock-on effect on the sustainability of your company both in the short and long term.
There are many different reasons that affect whether a person is fit to work, and these should always be looked at delicately and discreetly. However, making small changes to a working environment can have a significant impact on both your employees and your profits.
Being mindful at work
Whether someone is driving a forklift truck or dealing in stocks and shares, a person’s mental health greatly affects their ability to do their job. According to a report by the charity Mind, 60% of employees said that if their employer took positive action to “support their mental wellbeing” they’d feel more motivated. Depression can have deep and long-lasting effects on anyone and can hugely impact the way in which someone works. More and more companies are introducing mindfulness to the workplace with employees being able to attend sessions with qualified practitioners to talk about their work and their feelings. By removing the stigma of mental health issues, promoting dialogue and encouraging engagement, you can build higher levels of trust and respect between colleagues, thereby improving the overall morale.
Substance abuse at work
People can become reliant on drugs or alcohol for a number of wide-ranging reasons. Unfortunately, being under the influence of either at work can greatly affect the productivity of your company and can lead to issues such as theft, serious accidents and absenteeism.
With a network that covers the UK, Matrix Diagnostics drug testing can help you to carry out pre-employment checks to make sure that you’re not hiring someone who already has a problem. Including clauses in employment contracts for consent to random testing can also help you to regularly check on your workforce and know if someone needs help before it’s too late.
Fit as a fiddle
Regardless of whether it’s a job that involves a lot of physical exertion or one that is desk-bound, injuries can happen. Creating a workplace that encourages good posture, correct safety measures and responsible working patterns can go a long way to ensuring the actual fitness of your team. With a lot of firms nowadays going one step further by offering in-house yoga sessions or gym memberships to help with overall fitness levels, if a serious or repetitive injury does occur, then an occupational therapist can assess individuals and provide practical help and advice on recovery.
Access To Medical Support
It’s highly important that staff have access to the right medical treatment and are encouraged to address any mental or physical health issues quickly. All too often, you’ll get a situation where people try to carry on and ignore a health issue. This means that minor, easily treatable problems can spiral into larger matters that require more complex and ongoing treatment. Plus, you have the added complication of secondary health issues development. Counter this by creating a company culture where employees are encouraged to book medical appointments as needed and use online services to access prescription medicines. If you have access to wellbeing services or things like telephone counselling, promote them widely and encourage staff to use them. Sometimes this kind of support in the early stages can make all the difference in catching and diagnosing any issues before they spiral.
A brighter future
Showing that you care about the health and wellbeing of your employees can also make your company a more desirable place to work, which, of course, has the added bonus of helping you to attract the highest calibre of candidates in the future.
