HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELLBEING ACTIVE BODY, ACTIVE MIND


A recent study by workplace solutions retailer, AJ Products, revealed that over 40% of people think their current work environment has a negative impact on their physical and


emotional wellbeing as well as being detrimental to their productivity. Solutions that address these issues can benefit both workers and the company’s profit margins.


According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the two leading causes of absenteeism due to work- related ill health are stress, depression or anxiety, and musculoskeletal disorders. In 2017-18, 15.4m working days were lost because of work-related stress, depression or anxiety. This accounted for 57% of all working days lost due to ill health in the UK. Musculoskeletal problems, such as back and neck pain, accounted for a further 24% of days lost: a total of 6.6m days. This is at a considerable cost to UK businesses.


Workplace wellness programmes are one of the most effective ways to tackle the problem of work-related health issues. The workplace has a significant role to play in reducing the physical and emotional burden placed on employees, which in turn can lead to fewer days taken as sick leave and greater levels of productivity. Many businesses need to change their way of thinking to accept


that a workplace can be safe and relatively comfortable yet still be detrimental to employee health. Improvements to the physical working environment, including the introduction of flexible workspaces with active office furniture, improved lighting and efforts to cut noise levels, can reduce stress, increase concentration levels and improve job satisfaction.


When it comes to present working conditions, employee opinions suggest that many businesses still have a long way to go in order to optimise the workplace to get the best out of their staff. The AJ Products Workplace Health Survey 2019 revealed that, although 82% of people believe that the organisation they work for cares about their health and wellbeing, over 60% said they would consider changing jobs for a healthier and more active work environment. Furthermore, despite a significant majority believing that their employer cares about their health, 44% think that their current work environment has a negative impact on their physical wellbeing, 46% believe that it has a negative impact on their emotional wellbeing and 48% state that it has an adverse effect on their productivity.


It is not just employees that see the benefit of corporate wellness programmes. Soma Analytics’ Mental Health and Wellbeing: FTSE 100 Report 2018 showed that FTSE 100 companies that placed an emphasis on employee wellbeing and mental health significantly outperformed those that considered it less important.


How can active working help? Active working has become increasingly popular in workplaces worldwide, but it is far more than a trend: it is a response to the dangers of prolonged sitting. In a 2018 study, the World Health Organisation found that an alarming 37% of adults in high-income Western countries (including the UK and USA) do not do enough physical activity. Sedentary lifestyles have been held partly responsible for a rise in health conditions such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cancer, heart disease and musculoskeletal problems. Moreover, it has been shown that regular exercise is not enough to combat the negative effects of long hours spent sitting down.


The human body is designed to keep moving. Contrary to popular belief, this is possible even with a desk job thanks to the growing range of office furniture on the market designed to encourage activity while working. This innovation is based on the idea that movement is key to a healthier workday and includes sit-stand desks, stand-up meeting tables, active chairs, balance boards, standing desk mats and more.


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