Q: I have employees who are attending work while unwell. Although I am grateful that they are committed to their work, I am concerned about their health and the wellbeing of my other employees. What can I do to promote a healthier work environment?
A: While a majority of business owners, and rightfully so, focus their energy on the negative impact of employee absenteeism on their business, equally as damaging can be employees who turn up to work while unwell, or what is now termed ‘sickness presenteeism’. Humans are vulnerable to sickness, it is a fact of life that cannot always be prevented. With this in mind, alongside that fact that business never stops, employee health can often take a back seat. As an employer however, there are steps you can take to make your employees’ health and wellbeing a priority in the workplace.
One of the first actions you can employ is the introduction of a workplace presenteeism policy, outlining where the company stands on employees coming into work sick. This should help employees understand, under what conditions they should stay at home, for example if their illness could impede productivity by causing widespread sickness in the work environment. In such circumstances, where possible, you should give the option for employees to work from home and communicate via email or phone.
Within the workplace, consider how you can promote healthier lifestyle options. This can range from providing healthy snack and lunch options, to encouraging employees to take regular walks including using the stairs as opposed to lifts, thus preventing a rise in sedentary behaviour. Another option would be to incorporate fitness into the office culture. This can take the form of running weekly exercise classes (space permitting) that focus on combatting stress, while keeping the body and mind healthy. Alternatively, consider partnering with a local gym to receive discounted memberships and passes.
Believe it or not, encouraging employees to actually utilise their lunch breaks is another tactic that can help boost employee health and morale. Increasing deadlines and workloads often result in employees skipping lunch in favour of catching up on work. This behaviour leads to increased stress levels, which eventually results in the reduced health and happiness of your employees. As an employer, it is your responsibility to ensure that employees have the time to take their lunch breaks. Encourage them to take the time to wind down and relax, so that they feel rejuvenated for the rest of the day ahead.
On a final note, ensuring that workplace common areas and facilities are kept clean is equally important. This may sound obvious, but if office cleanliness is not properly maintained germs can spread like wildfire. Try educating your employees through the use of posters, which will serve as reminders as to why personal and office hygiene is vital.
David Price is managing director of Health Assured
