The healthy (home) workplace

Because of the coronavirus, we all work at home more often or completely. And although opinions are divided, it looks like home working will continue after the lockdown and we will be less likely to sit in an office with many colleagues from 9am to 5pm. The fact is that the environment in which you work has an effect on your productivity, creativity and health. Reason enough for colleague Huib van Bommel, Sales Manager EW Facility Services, to take a closer look at the home and office workplace and to give tips for a healthy working environment.

1. Neat and tidy

Do you know that feeling of a tidy house? No stuff lying around and a wonderful feeling of space and overview? The same principle applies to your workplace. A tidy workspace creates space in your head for your work, so you can concentrate on that important e-mail, that ever-growing to-do list or the team meeting with your colleagues. A few nice storage boxes or a mobile storage unit will go a long way. And now that our workplace is often also our home, at the kitchen table or in a corner of the living room or bedroom, it is also important that you can store your laptop and other items quickly and easily after work. This prevents work and private life from completely merging into one another.

2. Ergonomic workplace

An ergonomically designed workplace is not a luxury, but an absolute necessity. With an ergonomically designed workplace, health problems and incorrect postures can be prevented, so that you can keep on working and the risk of absenteeism falls. At the office, ergonomic office chairs and comfortable desks are often available. At home, we often just work at the kitchen table and our posture is not optimal. This translates into a stiff neck, headaches and a sore back. As an employer, it is therefore even more important to facilitate colleagues working from home. This can be done with a budget that employees can spend themselves or by delivering office chairs and other items to the employees' homes. In some cases, one day of absence can cost a company more than an office chair or a flexibly adjustable monitor!

3. Hygiene and cleaning

Whether you work at a desk or at the kitchen table, the same applies to both: the desk is used intensively. The laptop and monitor work overtime and you lean on the desk all day with your hands and arms, leaving grease marks and other dirt. If there are children running around the house, there are also sticky hands, muddy shoes and biscuit crumbs. To prevent the spread of bacteria, it is therefore very important to clean the desk or table every day. Keep a pack of disinfectant wipes in sight, so you don't forget. Small effort with great result!

Extra: Even now that the occupation of the office is low, cleaning remains of great importance. So make sure that the office is cleaned regularly and that there is extra focus on cleaning hand contact points, meeting rooms after use, replenishing disinfectants and toilet rounds. Cleaning contributes more than ever to a pleasant and healthy workplace!

4. Light and air

Light and air play an important role in creating a pleasant workplace:

Light is essential for our biorhythm. This biorhythm is important for our sleeping patterns, eating patterns, body temperature, performance and moods. Sufficient light results in us feeling more comfortable during the day and sleeping better at night. So make sure there is enough (day) light at your workplace.
Air provides a fresh environment with sufficient oxygen. Open the window every day and let the fresh wind blow through the room. This is not only good for concentration, but also for musty smells.

Extra: Fresh plants also provide extra oxygen and some green also looks very cosy!

5. Job satisfaction

Finally: people who enjoy their work radiate this to colleagues and business associates, are more creative and productive and are less likely to call in sick. So above all keep the fun going in the team. This is quite difficult when you don't see each other and everyone is working in his or her own environment. In addition to the business meetings, try to schedule a (virtual) coffee moment with colleagues every now and then and organise a monthly online get-together with a fun activity or theme. And do you have a 1-on-1 meeting? Do this during a walk in a nearby forest or park. This way you can see each other live in a corona-proof way, you get exercise and fresh air!

Need more inspiration about the healthy workplace? Get in touch with us!