How many hours of the day do you spend at work? Seven or eight? Ten? More than that? Given you could spend anything between half and three-quarters of your waking hours in the workplace, it’s easy to see why comfort is vital.
And not just for you, either – your employees need their comforts, too. But what do I mean by comfort, and why else is it important? In this guide, I’m going to show you those reasons and tell you how it can affect many different things. Read on to find out more.
Happiness
Comfort is something that helps people to be happier. And, when people are happy and contented, they tend to work harder. This has a lot of positive impact on workplace productivity that is a key barometer to use when measuring your success as a company.
Now, I’m not saying everybody has to be all laughter and smiles all day every day. Of course, there are tough tasks to get through, and some dull ones, too. But the point is, if you can create a comfortable work environment, those tasks will be a lot easier to push through.
Healthiness
If somebody at work always complains about being uncomfortable, there’s a good chance they have an underlying issue. So, if you can, find out what that problem is. Have an open door policy where employees can explain how they are feeling, and do what you can to give them a healthy environment.
If staff are more comfortable with talking to you about things, they are more likely to do so when they have issues. And that, of course, means that you can provide solutions for them. Which will help keep your productivity levels and performance as high as they can be.
Safety
If your employees do dangerous jobs, make sure they are as comfortable as possible when they are doing them. There are two examples I have that can illustrate this. Firstly, if you’re in the building industry, you’ll be aware of the legal requirements for your employees to wear safety clothing. However, if they aren’t comfortable in that safety gear, they may take it off – or it might distract them from their work. The results can be catastrophic.
Similarly, if you run a medical center or a hospital, make sure that your employees aren’t distracted by their clothing. These Barco scrubs, for example, claim to be comfier than others. Perhaps they would be better than what your staff currently use? Of course, it all depends on how your staff feel, but the principle remains the same. Always ensure that dangerous jobs are carried out in as safe – and as comfortable as possible – manner.
Risks
Do you raise hell when somebody makes a mistake? If so, there’s a chance that your employees will avoid taking too many risks. While overall, this will appear to be a wise strategy, there are situations where it certainly is not.
Where will you get new ideas from if your workforce is too uncomfortable to speak up? How long will the bold decision makers work for you, before realising they will be more comfortable elsewhere? Employees need that platform, not just for their own development, but also to progress your company.
As you can see, there are plenty of benefits of providing a comfortable workplace for your staff. Why not see what you can do with them?
Also stay tuned as I will be discussing using Stand-Up Desks as part of creating a healthy and comfortable work space.
Photo Credit: Pixabay
