"Business-friendly" is one of the great buzz words or phrases of all time. People use it all the time to describe an environment, a building, a culture, or a regulatory environment that is supportive of business. It doesn't single out one particular type of business or industry. Instead, it describes something or someone who is friendly and open to the idea of business in general.
Business-friendly is a good concept and a great idea, but what businesses need if they're going to remain productive and stay in business for the long haul, is an employee friendly environment in their office. One way small businesses who can't afford their own office space just yet is by utilizing co-working spaces, to rent cubicles or offices by the day.
They provide flexibility for startup companies that are on a tight budget, a place for employees to work that is free from the distractions that surround them at home, and a structured work environment to keep everyone on track. These are all great reasons to use them, but they only address the company's needs. None of them specifically address the employee's needs or health.
Working Out At Work
You can't actually work out at work unless you've got an employee gym, but even if you do, the workout only lasts for half an hour or so during lunch then it's right back to sitting at your desk for the rest of the day. Studies have shown that the health benefits of a workout, even a vigorous one, can't compensate for seven or eight hours of sitting at a desk.
The healthy alternative is a standing desk. You can check out HADO's range of desks that are height adjustable so you can use them when you're sitting down or standing up. You can even use them halfway in between with a tall stool.
The Health Benefits of Standing
There is plenty of research on the benefits of standing versus sitting. Researchers divided test subjects into two groups, a control group who sat at their desk all day and a test group who sat in the morning and stood in the afternoon. After controlling for their normal office activities - going to the bathroom, visiting with co-workers, getting print jobs from the printer, etc. - they discovered some amazing differences between the two groups.
The group that stood in the afternoon had a lower risk of obesity and cancer. Their physical posture improved dramatically. They had less back and neck pain. Their blood sugar levels were better, and best of all, their productivity on the job increased. Long-term studies have indicated an increased life span as well.
The standing group was 55% more productive than the sitting group, experienced 37% less fatigue, and 53% less pain. Two out of three research subjects reported feeling 100% better at the end of the day. Self-reporting is admittedly subjective on that last one, but the improvement was still dramatic enough to prompt that kind of responses.
Competing For Employees
The business environment is improving lately, with regulations decreasing and jobs being created. Businesses are finding themselves in the unexpected position of having to compete for employees for the first time in years. You need to do some competitive research to find out what other companies in your field are doing to attract, and keep, valuable employees.
Higher wages, bonuses, and improved benefits packages are obviously one way to do that, but if you're still growing and you're strapped for cash, helping your employees stay healthy while they work is an alternate method that deserves your consideration.
Height adjustable desks are competitively priced with normal desks and the on-the-job benefits to you, as well as the health benefits to your employees, are well worth any extra cost. Alternate work environments are often expected by the younger generation, so the offer of standing desks that can improve and help maintain their health is one they are certainly open to considering.
Happy Employees Are Permanent Employees
Healthy employees are happier in their life overall and more content with their job specifically than unhealthy ones. That translates into increased productivity, fewer mistakes, less acrimony and personal feuding in the office, and a better work environment for all concerned.
Happy employees are also loyal employees who are prone to come in early, eat at their desk, and stay late to get rush jobs done on time and under budget. To put it bluntly, happy healthy employees will treat your business as if it was their own and work to make it a success.