According to the Health and Safety Executive around 36.8 million working days are lost in the UK due to work related ill health and non-fatal workplace injuries.
Stress, depression and anxiety are the biggest causes of sick days, with mental health issues causing each person suffering to take an average of 18.6 days off work a year.
Musculoskeletal injuries caused by anything from unsupportive chairs and office furniture to heavy lifting are the next major cause of time off.
Although some sick days are inevitable as even the healthiest employees can fall victim to a bug from time to time, there are steps that can be taken to reduce excessive illnesses and injuries which leave businesses out of pocket and under resourced.
We look at five ways to reinvigorate your office and boost productivity to keep staff healthy and injury free.
1. Maximise space
2. Reduce clutter
3. Calming colours and artwork
4. Comfort over cost
5. Time for a Spring Clean?
It may sound simple but keeping the office clear and free from hazards is one of the simplest things you can do. As businesses grow it is all too easy to squeeze an extra desk space in rather than reorganise the layout. Taking time to look and reassess the office design and spacing can really help to boost productivity.
Can staff move freely around the office? Are amenities easily accessible or difficult to reach and not logically placed? Does every desk have enough storage so that boxes and paperwork aren’t blocking walkways?
Slips, trips or falls equate for 30% of the 565,000 non-fatal injuries reported last year. Advances in office designs means there are lots of space saving furniture options available now. It means you can maximise desk and storage space while still allowing plenty of space around the office.