
Seven tips for creating a healthy work environment
October 16, 2014
October 16, 2014
October is healthy workplace month in Canada, a cause that encourages workplaces across the country to focus on being well, feeling well, eating well, and connecting well.
If you are like most Canadians, you probably spend a good part of your week at work. It’s not uncommon for people to spend 40 hours or more at work each week, but for some reason people tend to overlook the importance of their work environment.
If you think about it, on an average day, you probably spend the same amount of time at work as you do at home. Given how much time you spend at your workplace, it's important for it to be just as healthy an environment as your home. A healthy workplace helps you to stay healthy and be a productive employee.
Your approach to health at work can have a significant impact on various areas of your life. Here are some revealing statistics about overall health and well-being at the workplace:
According to the Conference Board of Canada, the absenteeism rate is 9.4 days per employee, costing organizations $16.6 billion annually.
The Healthy Workplace Project found that using hand sanitizer can reduce an employee’s sick days by more than 20%. They also found that the common cold is responsible for about 40% of the costs of absenteeism in the workplace.
According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, 1 out of 5 Canadians will experience some form of mental health issue, and more than a half million people miss work every week due to mental illness. This statistic equates to more than $50 billion lost for the economy.
According to Statistics Canada, more than 50% of Canadians are overweight.
Based on these numbers, it’s clear that workplace health needs to be a priority for everyone.
Here are some ways you can improve your well-being:
Workplace wellness promotes happy and healthy employees, which leads to a better overall work environment, greater productivity, improvement in morale, and a better company overall. It also ensures you are a healthier individual, which can help you keep your health care costs down.
Do you make workplace health a priority? What are some of the initiatives that you do either personally or that your company does to improve workplace health?