It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the everyday tasks that keep your business afloat or a quickly approaching project deadline. When your office is especially busy, maintaining workplace positivity is one of the first things to fall by the wayside. While you and your co-workers are on task, working extra hard, and accomplishing your goals or reaching your deadlines, it’s important to take a step back and evaluate how healthy the atmosphere is for your employees. Here are a few easy questions you can ask yourself that can point to some easily solvable problems.
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Are your employees sitting at their desks for too long?
As we all know, too much of a good thing is never—well—good. In most offices, employees sit for longer periods of time during the day than stand, and they are often staring at a computer screen. For every 20-30 someone sits at a desk, they should stand up and move around for about 1-2 minutes. Moving around doesn’t have to mean doing jumping jacks or sit-ups. It is just as beneficial to walk to the water cooler or make a loop around the office, maybe even do a couple of simple stretches. You will return to your desk revitalized and refreshed.
Another potentially healthy option is to hold walking (rather than sitting) meetings. Going for a walk can be stimulating, especially if you have been sitting for a large part of the day, and will leave you feeling energized.
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Are your employees eating lunch at their desks?
Sometimes it feels like there’s not enough time in the day to leave your desk and take a break. Many people working in an office eat their lunch at their desk a few days a week. If you aren’t careful to clean your desk after eating, you risk unhealthy bacterial growth at your desk area. Excessive snacking is also a symptom of eating at your desk. If you are distracted by your work, you are more likely to overeat. Perhaps encouraging your employees to take their lunches to the break room or outside will allow them to take a break from the computer screen and come back feeling ready to be productive.
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Are your employees drinking enough water?
It’s easy to forget you aren’t drinking enough water when you’re working hard at your desk, and being dehydrated causes all sorts of problems, from headaches and faintness to nausea. A hydrated employee is a much happier employee. Providing water bottles for your co-workers is one positive way to encourage drinking water.
For more advice on how to maintain a healthy and happy office, check out our previous blog posts! A healthy office is a happy office. One of the leading staffing firms in Mississippi, Staffers offers temporary, temporary-to-hire, and direct hire opportunities in the Jackson metro area! If you are someone you know is seeking employment, contact Staffers today at 601-362-1010 to join the Staffers team.