IS YOUR WORKPLACE HEALTHY?

 

A healthy and happy workplace produces healthy and happy people who feel valued and appreciated. This leads to more productivity and staff retention with less sickness absence and recruitment costs. Developing a healthy workplace culture is a worthy investment of time in order to initiate and maintain good practice which includes:-

  • Training for line managers
  • A Stress or Wellbeing Policy
  • Regular Stress Audits
  • Stress training and on-the-job support
  • Shared vision and values
  • Regular supervision and appraisals
  • Managing workloads among staff
  • Pleasant physical environment
  • Individual support for personal problems
  • Implementation of HSE Management Standards for Stress
  • Promotion of work/life balance
  • Regular team meetings
  • Open and transparent communication channels
  • Effective and supportive sickness absence procedures
  • Flexible hours where possible
  • Employee engagement and consultation
  • Promote positive working relationships
  • Exercise provision and social activities
  • Peer support/buddy systems
  • Raising awareness of wellbeing and promote open discussion
  • Regular monitoring of staff welfare
  • Hot desking
  • Poor communication
  • The threat of, or actual violence (verbal and/or physical abuse)
  • Lack of a clear job description or chain of command
  • Job insecurity
  • Distant leadership
  • No supervision
  • Budget cuts leading to increased workloads
  • Long-hours culture
  • No recognition or reward for good job performance
  • No opportunity to voice complaints
  • Lack of employee representation and consultation
  • Lack of control over workload
  • No opportunity to use personal talents or abilities
  • Inadequate time to complete tasks to personal or company standards
  • Unreasonable and demanding workload
  • Unremitting or prolonged pressures
  • Confusion caused by conflicting demands
  • Misuse of procedures (discipline/ performance/ absence)
  • Feelings of injustice arising from deliberate isolation and ill-treatment
  • Unrealistic targets and deadlines
  • Bullying and poor relationships
  • Shift working
  • Inflexible work schedule
  • Unpredictable work hours
  • Long or unsociable work hours

In contrast, an UNHEALTHY workplace has the following

  • Hot desking
  • Poor communication
  • The threat of, or actual violence (verbal and/or physical abuse)
  • Lack of a clear job description or chain of command
  • Job insecurity
  • Distant leadership
  • No supervision
  • Budget cuts leading to increased workloads
  • Long-hours culture
  • No recognition or reward for good job performance
  • No opportunity to voice complaints
  • Lack of employee representation and consultation
  • Lack of control over workload
  • No opportunity to use personal talents or abilities
  • Inadequate time to complete tasks to personal or company standards
  • Unreasonable and demanding workload
  • Unremitting or prolonged pressures
  • Confusion caused by conflicting demands
  • Misuse of procedures (discipline/ performance/ absence)
  • Feelings of injustice arising from deliberate isolation and ill-treatment
  • Unrealistic targets and deadlines
  • Bullying and poor relationships
  • Shift working
  • Inflexible work schedule