Why prioritizing health is important for today’s employers

Promoting wellness in the workplace may not be a top priority for most CEOs, but it should be.

People spend a lot of time at work — You usually spend at least half of your waking hours at work. So your employer: Cultivate mental and physical health.

As employers, we have a responsibility to contribute to people’s happiness, purpose and wellbeing. Promoting Wellness in the Workplace It needs to be part of our business plans, objectives and goals.

Recent media articles have highlighted the current discord between employees and management, especially regarding return-to-work policies. Numerous surveys confirm that inflexible work schedules are unpopular: LinkedIn reports that 50% of applicants say they don’t want to work from the office full-time, and 40% of employees would be prepared to quit if mandates were implemented.

read more: Sitting all day? How to reduce joint pain at work

In an environment where finding and retaining top talent remains a challenge, creating a welcoming work environment that prioritizes employee happiness and wellbeing is beneficial for both your company and your employees.

When job seekers and current employees know that your company is investing in their mental and physical health, they are more likely to be open to working for your company, returning to the office, or accepting a job offer. One well-documented example is American Interior Design Association Case StudyThis confirms that perceived environmental quality has a significant effect on turnover intentions.

Investing in health improvements like lighting upgrades, safer ergonomic furniture, and pure water and air isn’t just about aesthetics — it’s about protecting cognitive function, productivity, and overall health.

read more: Workplace isolation is hurting your career: 5 ways to be more sociable

From stocking healthy snacks in kitchens and break rooms to creating space for a yoga studio, there are many improvements you can make to promote employee wellness. Here are four improvements we think are key:

Clean Air: Research published by prestigious institutions Harvard Highly regarded medical journal Lancet We highlight that the impact of air quality on employee health ranges from short-term physical health to long-term cognitive performance.

A Harvard University study compared the cognitive function of people working in green environments, which have better air quality in terms of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) in the air, with that of people working in more typical office environments. After testing several cognitive parameters, it was found that the cognitive function of people working in healthier “green environments” was 100% better than those working in environments with higher CO₂ or VOC levels.

People who are exposed to high levels of both VOCs and particulate matter throughout their lives have significantly higher rates of cognitive decline, stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure.

Air quality in indoor workplaces is not commonly monitored. While maintaining clean air and adequate ventilation is essential for employee health and well-being, monitoring CO₂ levels and providing adequate ventilation is essential to keep them alert. However, CO₂ levels are constantly fluctuating depending on how many people are in the room at a particular moment, the time of day, and the location of the office. An office on a busy street is likely to have higher CO₂ levels than an office on a quieter street. Monitoring these levels is key to ensuring CO₂ levels do not cause harm to employees. It is also necessary to keep CO₂ levels below 800 ppm.

Avoid using items that contribute to indoor air pollution in your office. For example, when you paint or carpet your office or buy furniture, make sure it doesn’t release or “off-gas” VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the office environment.

Installing a quality portable air filtration system with HEPA filters to remove harmful particles, allergens, viruses, and bacteria, and activated charcoal filters to reduce VOCs, is a simple way to dramatically improve air quality. Per FDA and CDC recommendations, you should install a system large enough to circulate the air five times per hour.

read more: This CEO supports working moms by creating state-of-the-art nursing rooms

Lights up: Having natural light in the workplace It reduces eye strain, improves cognitive function, and increases focus and efficiency.. A new study titled “The impact of sunlight exposure at work on sleep, physical activity and quality of life” concludes that there is a strong relationship between sunlight exposure at work and office workers’ sleep, activity and quality of life..

When natural light is not available, studies have demonstrated that proper lighting is important for improving cognitive function, enhancing alertness, reducing drowsiness, increasing energy, and improving reaction times. Of the commonly available LED light “temperatures” (2700k, 4000k, 6500k), studies have shown that 4000k lighting is preferred by employees as it creates optimal visual comfort while also enhancing focus and attention.

Furniture that promotes health: Investing in an ergonomic chair promotes comfort and correct posture, reducing the risk of pain and discomfort. Standing desks are a popular alternative for people who don’t want to sit for an entire eight-hour workday. Both ergonomic solutions help prevent musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain, muscle strains and carpal tunnel syndrome. They also increase overall workplace satisfaction and productivity.

Pure water: Providing access to clean, pure water is fundamental to employee hydration and overall health, and is required by OSHA law. However, the water provided by drinking fountains and wall-mounted bottle-filling stations isn’t actually pure. Municipal water contains chlorine or chloramines (a mixture of chlorine and ammonia) to prevent biological growth. These chemicals often react with organic matter to produce carcinogens called trihalomethanes. Additionally, aging infrastructure can cause water to contain contaminants such as lead.

recently, U.S. GovernmentAt least 45% of the nation’s tap water is contaminated with one or more PFAS, or “forever” chemicals. PFAS are called “forever” chemicals because they don’t break down over time and accumulate permanently in the human body. Health officials have concluded that there is no safe amount of PFAS. PFAS cause a variety of health problems in individuals, including hormone disruptions and increased risk of cancer and diabetes.

Disposable water bottles are not a safe alternative.

In a pioneering study conducted by Columbia University, researchers found that store-bought bottled water contains an average of 240,000 plastic particles. Of the seven types of plastic, 90% were identified as nanoplastics, the rest as microplastics. Nanoplastics are the plastic pollution of greatest concern to human health. These tiny particles can penetrate individual cells and tissues in major organs, disrupting cellular processes and Endocrine disrupting chemicalsinclude PFAS and Heavy Metal.

What’s more, single-use plastics are extremely harmful to the environment: Of the 80 billion disposable water bottles sold annually, only a small fraction are recycled. Most of the bottles end up in landfills, polluting our oceans and adding to the nanoplastics we ingest in our tap water.

Installing multi-stage reverse osmosis water filters is the most comprehensive solution to remove all types of impurities and ensure safe drinking water for your employees. The water tastes great and eliminates the need to purchase bottled water, resulting in significant savings while contributing to environmental sustainability.

Implementing these wellness initiatives in the workplace is well within the reach of most companies, and the benefits these improvements bring to employee engagement, satisfaction, and health provide a solid ROI. From a purely business perspective, your efforts in creating a healthy and supportive work environment for your employees will lead to improved employee morale and the success of your organization overall.