Research has shown time and again that happy staff are more productive and stay loyal to their employers. As an employer, you have a legal responsibility to ensure your workplace is safe for your employees and visitors, but it takes more than that to keep them content in their jobs too. People tend to think of offices as very safe places to work, but that is not always the case. Offices come with dangers of their own if the proper safety measures and procedures are not in place and followed.
The importance of office furniture
When your office is being designed, there is more to consider than just whether the furniture looks good, it must be comfortable as well. Uncomfortable chairs can cause muscle issues when your workers are having to sit in them all day, and this could result in some production being lost because of sick days that could have been avoided.
Their workstation needs to have plenty of room and be set up in a way that ensures they are not having to constantly twist and turn. This will also help to avoid muscle and joint problems. However, one of the most common muscle problems for office staff occurs in the wrists. If they are using a keyboard for long periods, and it is not positioned correctly, or they do not have a wrist rest, they can develop carpal tunnel syndrome, which often requires surgery to correct.
Walkways should always be clear
Walkways should always be kept free from obstacles and spillages. The corners of office furniture can be sharp, and if someone trips and their head hits one of the pieces of furniture, they could sustain a nasty head injury. Your employees should all know they should not leave personal belongings in walkways. One of the best ways to avoid this is to buy office lockers, so they all have somewhere to put their personal items.
Stationery supplies shouldn’t be underestimated
If you want to keep your staff happy, one of the things you need to avoid is frustration over something simple, like not having the stationery supplies they need to perform their job. This delays your employee and costs you by reducing productivity. It’s best to make someone responsible for keeping a check on stationery levels, so items are always reordered before they run out.
Although most offices are now more digital than ever, there are still stationery supplies workers need, such as pens, paper, clips, staplers and numerous other items.
At Loco Office Supplies, we have all the stationery supplies you could need, as well as office furniture, notice boards, technology, computers, computer accessories and peripherals, filing cabinets and anything else office related.
Lighting can set the tone
So now your office is safe, the furniture is comfortable, and you have all the stationery supplies you need, what else can you do to make your workplace a pleasant space to be? The lighting is important. As much natural light as possible is always the best option, with LED lights being the second-best choice.
LED lights do not make the buzzing noise that accompanies fluorescent tubes, and they emit a more even light than incandescent light bulbs. They are also very flexible and different lights can be brighter or duller in various parts of your office to suit what is required. As a bonus, they are also cheaper to run and eco-friendlier when disposed of. They may cost a little more to buy, but the life span is approximately ten times that of fluorescent or incandescent bulbs.
The correct temperatures are crucial to comfort
There are no legal limits for minimum or maximum temperatures for workers, but your workplace needs to be kept at a level that does not have them trying to warm up or cool down. If your offices are too hot or cold this will become more of a concern to your employees than the work.
At Loco Office Supplies, we sell small fan heaters, panel heaters, radiators and various other heaters that can all help to keep your staff warm during the winter months.
Balancing eating and drinking
Your workers need to be able to have a drink and a snack if they need to, and should have the facilities to make them. A kettle, a fridge, a microwave, a coffee maker and toaster should all be in your kitchen area together with tea, coffee and maybe a few biscuits or snacks.
If you do not have a canteen for lunchtime meals or sandwiches, they need the facilities to be able to feed themselves. Some employers feel this is not their responsibility, but it is one of the things that will help to keep your workers happy and content.
At Loco Office Supplies, as well as offering all these things and more for your kitchen, we offer next day delivery so you should never run out of anything for too long.
Acknowledgment of effort
If you want your employees to remain happy and loyal you should always acknowledge a job well done. A simple thank you is all it takes for them to know you appreciate their efforts.
You could reward them in various ways, such as letting them all leave an hour early at the end of the week if they hit their targets, or maybe buying them all cakes to have with their lunch. You do not need to spend a fortune to reward them, but it is always appreciated that you have noticed what they have achieved.
Reducing employee turnover
A few suggestions have been made about how to keep your employees safe and happy, but there are many more things you can do. If you have a content workforce that stays loyal to your business, your employee turnover will reduce. Finding and training new employees is costly and time consuming and can be avoided if you look after the workforce you already have.
Let Loco help with stationery supplier and all your office needs
At Loco Office Supplies we have a whole range of stationery supplies and various other things than can help to keep your staff safe and happy. Take a look at our website or call and chat with one of our friendly team on 01 685 2558, to find out how we can help you.
