As the days start to get chillier and we spend more time bundled up inside, it becomes more important than ever to look after our health. Taking care of the basics like eating well, drinking water, and getting enough sleep is always a great place to start, but staying healthy isn’t just about what we do at home. The fact is, most of us spend a big slice of our lives at work – so a work environment that supports healthy living can genuinely make a huge difference.
We’ve put together a handful of tips to help promote healthier living in your workplace this winter – read on to discover a few practical workplace changes that can help keep you and your colleagues in the peak of health.
Clean, Safe Air
As one of the leading causes of illness-related staff absences, airborne pathogens can cause real disruption in the workplace – fortunately, there’s an effective way to neutralise these nasties. Air purifiers use a range of advanced technology, from UVC light to air ionisation, to filter and eliminate harmful contaminants from the air we breathe. As people start to return to the office, providing peace of mind and a healthier workspace can make a huge difference for staff productivity and morale – and with models to suit all spaces and budgets, air purifiers are a key part of that equation.
Keeping Warm & Dry
From hardy umbrellas to toasty-warm jackets, there are plenty of ways we stave off the worst of the winter weather in our personal lives, but for the workplace there’s one particularly efficient solution to keep the seasonal damp at bay. Dehumidifiers play a crucial role in maintaining a healthy work environment: for a start, they prevent mould-friendly conditions, eliminating one major cause of respiratory irritation before it even starts. But that’s just the start. Working in humid or damp environments also tightens your airways, and makes it harder to stay warm and comfortable. Picking up a dehumidifier for your workplace is an easy way to make a big impact on staff health and wellbeing.
Coffee vs Energy Drinks
As the mornings get darker and the days get colder, most of us need a little energy boost (or two!) to stay productive during the workday – but finding the right source for that morning or afternoon pick-me-up really does matter. If your workplace has vending machines, or even nearby dairies, energy drinks can be a tempting option, both for convenience and their feel-good sugary hit. But that sugar spike will leave you crashing later on, and is one element in our diets that almost all of us can stand to cut down on. On the other hand, coffee provides a much needed boost without being pre-loaded with sugar – a great alternative, particularly when paired with regular water intake.
On Your Feet
These days it’s not unusual to spend most of your working hours seated, but spending at least a portion of your day walking around comes with a whole range of health benefits. Even if your job is generally sedentary by nature, there’s all kinds of ways to get a little movement into your workday. Seize the odd sunny day that presents itself with a lunchtime stroll around the block, walk around the office to meet colleagues face-to-face wherever appropriate and consider sit-to-stand desks to shift up your physical workplace routine.
An Apple a Day…
You know how the old saying goes – and while there’s more to keeping the doctor away than just munching on apples daily, making sure that fresh fruit is regular part of the workday diet can really boost your chances of getting through flu season relatively unscathed. Many workplaces, having recognised an opportunity to reduce sickness-related downtime, are ordering in fresh fruit boxes for staff to pick at during the work week – an easy way to support staff health and bring a little sweetness to their day.
And of course, it’s always worth remembering the basics, like having the right PPE on hand and keeping surfaces clean and hygienic. Keeping all these points in mind, you and your colleagues have a great shot at a much happier, healthier winter.
