5 Tips for a Healthier and Greener Workplace Environment

This is a sponsored post.

We spend a great big chunk of our life working: wether from home, office or other places. Having a healthy work environment is a key to productivity because it affects both our physical and mental well being. When we’re talking about a healthy work environment we naturally mean: good for the people and it’s eco-friendly too at the same time. The two can’t go without the other.

So here are my tips how to achieve this:

Reduce noise

Noise pollution is a serious issue for many companies. Many employees are exposed to noise levels at work that may be harmful. Environmental Protection Noise pollution has been linked to stress, high blood pressure, sleep disruption and hearing loss even – and generally, very disrupting as well as it has a negative impact on productivity. You don’t have to have heavy machinery around, even in a corporate office, just simply turn things off when they are not being used including lights, computers, air conditioning, etc. There’s a few other things that can be done to avoid noise pollution, like positioning of noise sources and workplace layout or installing a soundproof pod for meetings and calls.

Improve the air quality

Having bad air in the workplace can cause you to lose concentration and can trigger allergy reactions. The solution is very straight forward: avoid chemicals in wall paint, carpets and furniture. If these are harmful for the humans they are surely not very eco-friendly either, so think about this before purchasing cleaning products and equipment like carpet washers. 

Plants and more plants

Getting plants are not only good for the air quality (cleaner, less dry and less toxic air is the result) of the workplace but they also have a positive psychological effect too. Plants have a very calming effect on most people. The green and leafy plants that are strategically placed – not too many, though! – are the best for the job.

Encourage healthy habits

This can be a lot of things from offering healthy and nutritious food, breaks to practice mindfulness or other wellbeing techniques to ensuring safe work environment. Allowing people to get outside during their break is also great if the option is given.Healthy and energetic employees will be more productive. Happy and content people has a positive effect on others too. 

Lighting

Obviously, you can’t beat natural light. The more natural light, the better. However it’s not always possible, still,  lack of sunlight can be depressing. But there are things we can do to avoid the winter blues or seasonal affective disorder. Explore ideas like a lighting system that most closely mimics daylight, blue-light-blocking glasses, or even sun lamps that can help with everything from alertness to seasonal depression.