10.10.24
10.10.24
A happy employee is productive, efficient and helps boost staff morale and team spirit. When you have a group of engaged workers, even when times get stressed, and work gets busy, they can always rely on each other to maintain workforce resilience and productivity.
A satisfied employee is someone who will go out their way to ensure they do what they can to achieve success, not just for themselves but for your business as well. These are the people you want in your business, but you already know that.
However, the days of recruiting and retaining great talent through a high salary alone are in the past. Now staff are looking for comprehensive employee benefits and wellness initiatives.
As an employer, you’re limited in what you can do about external influences, but there’s so much you can do to improve employee welfare within your working environment.
From gyms to worship rooms, the workplace is rarely just a place to come in at 9am, do your job and leave at 5pm.
Employees who have fun together work better together. They’re naturally encouraged to support each other more when they’ve bonded over non-work-related activities. A games room is a great way to provide a setting for your staff to mix at work without it being work-related. It’s a great way to break down barriers between departments and encourage collaboration.
These shared experiences help build stronger relationships, improve communication, and create a healthier workplace culture. Over time, this enhanced team spirit translates into more effective collaboration on work projects.
Providing the ability for your team to be able to distract themselves from work on a break allows them to actually switch off. This helps them feel rejuvenated and ready for the next part of the working day.
A workplace games room can include a variety of different activities. The key thing is to include games that can be played in pairs or groups.
Having a pool table or table tennis table is great when you have a competitive team. What better way to discuss issues in a relaxed environment and problem-solve than over a game of pool? The more fun that can happen in a workplace, the happier the staff will be, even when there is a lot to do.
For others, a games console is great. Something like a Nintendo Switch allows people of all abilities to play games together without too much skill initially, like Mario Kart so everyone can be included.
You can set time trial challenges and have competitions within the workplace.
A worship room, or prayer room, can be a great benefit for employees of all religions. Some of whom are required to pray five times a day, and some who can use the room for quiet reflection. These multi-faith rooms offer numerous benefits that enhance employee well-being, promote inclusivity, and improve overall job satisfaction.
A worship room provides employees with a quiet, dedicated space where they can engage in spiritual practices, meditate, or simply find a moment of peace during the workday. This can significantly reduce stress, promote mental clarity, and enhance overall well-being. Employees who have the opportunity to practice their faith or engage in mindfulness activities are likely to feel more balanced and focused.
If this is a consideration for your business, you will want to think about the mix of potential users of the room. Will it be used for prayer, meditation, or both? These rooms should be located close to workstations to reduce travel time between the two areas.
Although not required, furnishing the room can provide additional benefits. Consider the following:
Employees who feel their employer cares about their personal and spiritual needs are more likely to be engaged and loyal to the company. A worship room can be a key factor in improving employee retention, as it demonstrates the company’s commitment to supporting the whole person, not just their professional role. This investment in employee well-being can result in a more dedicated, motivated, and productive workforce.
Exercise helps prevent depression and anxiety, boosts self-esteem, and improves concentration, sleep, and overall health and wellbeing.
Speaking from experience, being a full-time working parent doesn’t make it easy for me to get that 30 minutes a day exercise the NHS recommends. However, there are ways, as an employer, you can help your team have access to facilities to make this a little easier.
If you have the space in your office, a small gym can do wonders. It doesn’t need to be a large space. If you can find room for treadmill and a bike, it would provide staff with options, especially on rainy days where they can’t get out for a walk. Don’t forget to ensure you have a shower on site too though. The last thing you want is staff who are ripe after a good workout.
Also known as a reflective room or quiet room, these rooms could double as a worship room too if required. Where some people would go running for a games room on their lunch break, others are going to seek solitude to be able to clear their head and get away from the constant questions or chaos of the workplace when it gets busy.
This simple space gives staff the chance to decompress. They are not all just facing challenges at work, some may be struggling with mental health issues or having difficulties in their personal lives. A wellness room provides the space they need to be able to take care of themselves.
When it comes to design, keep it simple. Have a connection to nature in the room – a window to see outside, a plant or a water feature. Include soft seating to be able to fully relax in and maybe even put your feet up. A coffee table so your team can enjoy a quiet cuppa on their break. Use soft, tranquil colours for a calming effect and include adjustable lighting and heating so the user can set it to what they need at the time.
Include a Bluetooth speaker so the user can play their own calming music or white noise, whatever works for them, maybe a diffuser for calming scents. But most importantly keep the room relatively technology-free.
We have been installing an increasing number of natural position toilets (aka squat toilets). Although not common place in the UK, if your business is multicultural and brings staff in from countries like India, Turkey or Asia to work or train in the UK, one or more of these facilities can help them feel more comfortable.
It is entirely possible that people from these countries may not be aware on how to use a European toilet, so providing a facility they are more comfortable in using may prove very beneficial.
There is no legal requirement to provide any of these options within a workplace. But that’s not a reason to not incorporate additional wellness facilities for your staff.
When employee wellbeing is one of your top priorities, it breeds a positive work culture that can continue to grow and expand. As Richard Branson, CEO and founder of Virgin Group said: “Employees come first. If you take care of your employees, they will take care of the clients.”
Professional burnout and stress is continuing to rise and employers have a duty to their staff to ensure they’re doing whatever they can to help their people be happy and healthy both physically and mentally.
If your staff feel overworked, underappreciated, tired and become disengaged, this is going to reflect in the work they produce. They will talk with their feet and walk to a position where they feel happier, supported and appreciated.
On the flip side, if your staff feel supported, both mentally and physically, they have the ability to grow as people as well as employees and they feel nurtured, they are more motivated to push themselves and achieve continually better results across the board.
In a competitive job market, companies are constantly looking for ways to attract and retain the best talent. These facilities can be a unique selling point when recruiting new employees, particularly among younger generations who value work-life balance and a positive workplace culture. Moreover, existing employees are more likely to stay with a company that prioritises their well-being and offers a fun, engaging work environment.
If you’re looking to make changes to your workspace to improve employee welfare, APSS will support you in your journey. Contact us to discuss how we can help you support your staff through various employee engagement strategies and wellness initiatives.
