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You probably have very hard-working, conscientious, dedicated employees in your office. They want to do their best for you and they hit their targets as much as they possibly can. It’s for this reason that a company’s employees are their biggest asset.
However, if your employees are sitting in their office chairs all day long and they’re not taking regular breaks, you’re not getting the best out of them and they’re also putting themselves at risk of severe health problems over time.
Sitting disease is a real thing. You might think that sitting down isn’t damaging, but the truth is that when you sit for too long, you’re sedentary. This gives you a greater risk of developing heart disease, strokes, musculoskeletal problems, and it does nothing for your mental health either. As for your productivity? Nowhere near what it could be if you just got up and moved around on a regular basis.
So, how can employers help to encourage their employees to actually take breaks? It’s all too easy to just carry on working when you have a lot to do, but it’s simply not the most productive or healthy route forward. The best way to encourage breaks is to raise awareness.
Your employees might simply be under the impression that powering through the day is the best way, and it could just be that they need to know that’s not. That means educating yourself first and foremost on how many breaks is optimum and having a few suggestions on things to do during breaks, to get the best out of them. Check out this video for a bit more food for thought.
Employers should also give their employees a comfortable and pleasant place to go during breaks. That could be a breakout space, packed with office booths and other breakout furniture options, a fully-equipped break room or canteen, and if possible, an outdoor space that is covered from the elements and gives employees a chance to get some fresh air on their breaks.
Raising awareness of the need for regular breaks is key if you want to focus on the health and wellbeing of your employees, as well as ensuring that they’re as productive as they can be every single day. This also means that eating lunch at office desks should be banned as an official rule!