Health & Wellbeing
We believe health & Wellbeing in the workplace is essential, from the quality and safety of the physical environment, to how employees feel about their work, their working environment and the climate at work.
We have put a number of things in place to ensure we are doing everything we can to support you and your health & wellbeing, for example; We offer counselling sessions, a colleague support fund, pay day sub, dental treatment, NHS prescription charges and much more.
We have also come up with some tips to help you with prioritising workloads, managing stress, nutrition and energy and much more…
Prioritising Workloads
In today’s fast-paced working environment it is essential to have a way of prioritising your workload so that you are productive and efficient. It is easy to become overloaded and disorganised because of the sheer volume of tasks you have to complete or because you are being pulled in different directions because of conflicting tasks.
Prioritising your tasks helps you stay in control of your time, maintain an efficient flow of work and have a much more positive impact on your wellbeing. Here are some top tips for prioritising your work:
- Write things down
- Set Realistic deadlines
- Set Milestone Deadlines
- Allow time for interruptions
- Stop multitasking
- Review your workload regularly
Taking care of your back at work!
Although not normally representative of a serious medical condition, back pain can be very debilitating and change an individual’s quality of life as well as impacting upon working life and close relationships with family and friends.
Not only does sitting in one position for long periods exacerbate back problems, sitting incorrectly at a desk or computer has been shown to be a major cause of back pain in the workplace.
To reduce your risk of back pain from the workplace:
- Keep as mobile as possible by avoiding sitting for long periods of time and varying your seated position.
- Try to move around at least once an hour and stretch occasionally to avoid muscular stiffness.
- Speak to your manager about an ergonomic assessment to ensure your desk is at the optimum settings to avoid back discomfort.
Stress Physiology
Stress is a normal physical response to situations that make you feel threatened or upset your balance in some way. Your body responds to this in several ways that include both physical and mental adjustments. This ‘stress response’ is your body’s way of protecting you from the threatening situation; it helps you stay focused, energetic and alert.
These stress responses will be different for each individual for each stressful situation, however, it is clear why chronic stress is something to avoid and manage.
- Know your limitations – learn to say ‘No’
- Recognise and accept the things you can’t change and concentrate on the things you can
- Adopt a healthy lifestyle – eat a balanced diet, make exercise a habit and make sure you get enough sleep
- Think positively – try to look at a problem differently or discuss it with someone
- Develop your time management skills and prioritise more important jobs first
Tips on How to Stay Hydrated
Hydration refers to the body’s ability to maintain fluid balance. An increasing number of people do not drink enough fluid during the day to remain hydrated and this can have various side effects, including headaches and lack of concentration. If you are just 2% dehydrated you can be up to 20% less productive.
Top tips to help you stay hydrated
- When you wake up in the morning you will be dehydrated, try and get into a routine of drinking a glass of water or squash before any other drinks.
- Carry a bottle of water with you or have a glass on your desk – if it is in sight you are more likely to drink it!
- Have a glass of water with each meal
- Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as they contain water
- If you are in a hot environment or exercising make sure you drink extra fluid
For tips and workplace challenges to stay
Hydrated visit www.bhf.org.uk/healthatwork
Nutrition and Energy
In order to fuel your body with the energy it requires day to day, you should eat healthy balanced meals from the main food groups at regular intervals throughout the day.
- Carbohydrates
- Fruits & Vegetables
- Protein Foods
- Water
Below we have highlighted a few good energy foods which will help you maintain your energy levels throughout the day: Bananas, Beef (lean), Broccoli, Brown rice, Brussels sprouts, Chicken, Eggs, Flaxseed oil, Legumes, Milk, Oatmeal, Oranges, Peanut butter, Peas, Potatoes, Salmon, Soybeans, Spinach, Tuna, Turkey, Wheat germ and Yoghurt
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Mental Health and wellbeing is an issue which affects so many people but not everyone lets it show if they are struggling mentally or emotionally; or are in a situation where they feel vulnerable.If you feel that you would benefit from some confidential, professional help to aid with mental health and wellbeing stress, there are many websites and apps that are available to you.
Here are a few:
Kooth provides counselling services and other advice and guidance for learners in crisis or suffering with mental health & wellbeing issues. They are available for online support up to 10pm at night. Parents can also get advice.
Young Minds gives advice and guidance both for young people and parents worried about their child.
Mind provides advice and support to empower anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding.
The Mental health Foundation organises Mental Health Awareness Week and aims to inspire people to take action to help spread the message of good mental health for everyone.