Why healthy, happy staff works for everyone!
It’s no secret that a motivated workforce is good for the bottom line. According to a workplace study for RAND Europe: Healthy, highly engaged employees are, on average, up to 30 days more productive annually.
The flip side to this is that poor health and wellbeing cost the UK economy up to £57 billion a year in lost productivity. Whether a large multinational company or a SME it can make a big difference.
By creating a positive, healthy and fun environment for employees, the benefits of increased morale and improved work life balance can have a significant impact on business. With a falling working age population and more people in the North East in employment than ever before, it’s important to increase the offer, not just financially, in order to recruit and retain the best staff.
People joining the workforce today identify less with the 9 to 5 routine and have grown up with mobile technology, social media and a blurring of the distinction between work and leisure time.
We can thank them for more flexible commuting patterns and hours of work together with higher demands for amenity and quality of life.
So in practical terms how can companies promote health and bring some fun to the working day? While larger employers can spend a lot of money on these activities its not always so easy for smaller businesses to have the budget or the time to organise such events.
However, the larger business clusters can offer more to occupiers both large and small. Quorum offers a calendar of onsite events and activities from a 7 aside football league at the sports club to BBQs, jobs fairs, charity days
and various pop up social events.
We estimate there are around 300 events a year in total across the park.
This isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ approach and staff engagement is very important.
Some of the larger events attract over 1,000 visitors but the smaller pop up events can be just as valuable to staff members.
We often focus on health and wellbeing with active cycling groups, weekly running and judo clubs along with a triathlon club and dance classes all with dedicated members from across businesses.
A recent switch in focus has seen us introduce seminars and learning events, educating both HR departments and individual members of staff – events include a Cancer in the WorkplacE seminar hosted by Macmillan, an anti-bullying workshop and free mental health at work training events.
We encourage all businesses to share best practice and have encouraged a network of health benefits as varied as pop up massage, oral health and chiropody.
By creating a positive working environment and encouraging a happy and healthy workforce, increases in productivity and business performance can all be seen.
A healthy workforce can also demonstrate corporate responsibility through increased volunteering and participation in charity events.
Looking after your employees as well as wider society gives businesses a more positive public image while staff reap the benefits of the satisfaction of working for a company who care about them and others.
For more advice and information on how the hub can help your workplace reap the benefits of a happy, healthy workplace email us at hub@quorumpark.com