Balancing Work and Wellness

Integrating Wellness into the Modern Workspace

Many people spend most of their day at work, meaning that the workplace significantly impacts their physical and mental health. If the environment is unhealthy, it can cause stress, anxiety, depression, and physical symptoms such as headaches, fatigue, and digestive issues. This is often due to poor management, outdated policies, and damaging work culture. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy work environment. They can also promote individual health and wellness. Unhealthy work environments can cause absenteeism, job dissatisfaction, and poor performance. A toxic workplace can reduce productivity by up to 40% and has a 50% higher turnover rate than a healthy workspace.

A survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) found that 25% of employees feel undervalued, and 50% are unsatisfied with their job. 41% of employees experience adverse health effects due to workplace stress, leading to burnout and other psychological issues. A survey by Comparably found that 71% of employees who worked in a hostile environment reported being less productive. The Professional Centre is committed to creating a healthy work environment. Our health-focused features help individuals balance work and wellness. A supportive and healthy workplace leads to happier, healthier, and more productive employees.

It is then incredibly vital that workplaces integrative wellness programs that support their employees and thus encourage enhancement in work performance and positive workplace culture overall. The key to transforming a toxic work environment into one that is wellness-centred is identifying the common signs that managers and bosses can easily observe, according to Michaela Luyt:

High levels of stress among employees
Increased absenteeism and turnover rates
Low employee morale and job satisfaction
Unhealthy competition among employees
Poor communication between employees and management
Lack of recognition and appreciation for employees’ efforts and achievements
Micromanagement and lack of trust in employees
Discrimination and harassment

The next step in applying change is to address the various problems and to create encouraging and helpful new policies. The rest of this article will explore how wellness-focused programs and initiatives prioritize their workers and thus cultivate an environment rich in opportunities rather than limitations. We will also examine how the Professional Centre nurtures this incentive within their coworking spaces.

Wellness at Work: Health-focused amenities and programs at The Professional Centre

A healthy worker is a productive worker. The Professional Centre knows that and works hard to fulfill the needs of the workers who have rented their spaces full-time, part-time, within a meeting room, and even on demand. Their reputation thrives on professionalism and human response to fundamental human needs while being profoundly aware that their offices act as the fertile ground for success. The Professional Centre believes it is crucial to reduce overall stress, which encourages the workers to be accessible to apply their form of creativity and productivity and, thus, increases profitability. Here are some of the amenities freelancers or small companies can look forward to when renting at TPC:

Technology

A smooth application of workplace technology will help workers get work done. The fastest internet, hardware upgrades, wireless charging, and access to knowledgeable and practical IT support are the best ways to ensure that. Choice and flexibility are essential for modern workers—millennials and Gen Z benefit most from a tech-forward workplace.

Sustainability

A survey done in 2016 called The Deloitte Millennial revealed that millennials expect their work to focus less on profits and more on purpose. Workspaces tailored to have a low effect on the environment in general and high social impact are generally more favoured. A sustainability program is a great way to enhance a worker’s desire for something meaningful, enhancing their work consciousness and productivity.

Accessible Food Options

According to Nielsen research, Gen Z and the millennials prioritize healthy foods within the workplace more than any other region. A variety of food options and amenities to help prepare sed food will aid the workers in keeping in good health and good spirits.

Purpose Driven Events

The modern worker values meaningful work, whereas older generations were more likely to apply the keep-your-head-down-and-get-home thinking. A purpose-driven workplace will positively impact the employee-worker experience and their sense of satisfaction. LinkedIn’s Purpose at Work Global Report stated that 73% of purpose-driven professionals are satisfied with their jobs.

Wellness Initiatives

Applying wellness programs and initiatives is an integrative approach to overall workplace health. Some examples of this interaction are weight management programs, medical screening, health education, coaching, and more. The following section will dive deeper into the holistic approach of initiatives.

Holistic Approach: Physical, mental, and emotional wellness initiatives

Essentially, instituting a wellness initiative integrates a company’s employees’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Employers are now aware that there are more problems for an employee to deal with outside of physical limitations, like financial strain, mental health problems, and relationship issues. The holistic approach doesn’t necessarily seek to remedy all of these issues within the workplace but is applied with the awareness that if a worker is well, they will perform well.

Here are some examples of employee wellness programs that have successfully boosted employee satisfaction and well-being:

Flexible Work Hours: Everyone has something going on in their lives, whether it’s parenthood, a sick parent, debt payment problems, etc. Younger companies have realized that the old 40-hour workweek isn’t the standard anymore, as it is no longer sustainable. Accepting flexible working hours allows employees to work around their lives so they are not exhausted. It makes more sense statistically that a calm and collected worker will be more productive than one who is not. Raytheon, a defence contractor and cybersecurity company, recognized their employees were concerned about work-life balance. They began to apply the modified workweek, allowing their workers to work hours that fit their schedules.
Remote Working Arrangements: Most organizations have some roles that can be handled remotely. The COVID-19 pandemic proved that remote work can be successful, and it is because of this that various studies observed high employee happiness rates. People are less likely to spread illness at work or miss work due to bad weather. That means less stress, and we know now that less stress means more productivity from the workers. Anthem, a health insurance company, has a long-standing remote work program. They have found that remote work attracts and retains the most consistent and quality workers.
Financial Education: Financial stress is a burden and a very common one. Providing financial education helps ease this stress. This will aid people of all ages as they learn to budget and plan for retirement. Wegmans is a US-based east-coast supermarket chain that offers assistance programs that help plan for dependent and elder care costs.
Give Autonomy: Giving employees decision-making power empowers them and encourages critical thinking. Staff being trained on how to take initiative will continue to do so and, thus, enhance the experience at work. The Ritz-Carlton allows team members the authority to spend up to 2,000 dollars per guest to resolve customer problems. This will empower them to continue making self-directed decisions within the job.
Require Work-Life Balance: Workers obsessed with work are less beneficial than they once more. Skipping lunch, fogging vacations, and not taking breaks are bad habits and can quickly brew resentment against employers. Making work-life balance a priority lets workers know that they have value outside the office—guilting them to have a life outside of work will always backfire. Complete Contact, an app developer, has an unlimited vacation policy and encourages workers to take time off when needed. They are so dedicated to helping a work-life balance flourish that they offer a $7,500 bonus for taking time away from work.
Celebrate Employee’s Successes: Meeting a company’s goals should be a cause for celebration. Acknowledging achievement will incentivize workers to work harder on the next project. No acknowledgment will do the opposite. Celebrations can be parities, local outings, monthly newsletters shout-outs, or press releases. Cisco has a fun fund, where money is allotted for parties and other activities in the name of positive milestones.
Offer on-site Fitness Accommodations: Let’s face it, the gym is expensive. So are weights and other machines. Companies in the past would offer discounts at local gyms, but this was only problem moderately successful because most employees had a membership. Offering gym amenities on-site will encourage physical fitness, which aids in decreasing stress and enhances general physical wellness. Give employees time during work hours with policies where they can work out during the day rather than driving somewhere else after work. Finish Line, the athletic apparel retailer, offers an onsite gym, some even with a basketball court.
Add Collaborative Workspaces: The act of working in close physical proximity to others has been proven to foster engagement and creativity. Allowing a team space to move out of their isolated cubicles to work in an open space and changing their surroundings is suitable for their mental health. Giving options helps, as some workers need to work better in collaborative spaces; the choice is vital. Citibank has started using collaborative workspaces, as does Google, when working on shared tasks.
De-Stress Activities: Reducing stress means finding a way to release that dress healthily. Classes in yoga, meditation, tai chi, and even deep breathing are ways to boost engagement and reduce stress all at once within the workplace. Hopefully, the work environment doesn’t stress out the employees, but some parts of their lives are likely stressful. Prioritizing mindfulness and these de-stressing techniques shows employees that their company cares—Wegman’s offers on-site health and wellness screenings and customized yoga plans that are available to all members.
Parent Coaching and Support: Parenting is stressful. Offering parent coaching keeps employees happy in their home lives, which will make them more engaged and content within the workplace. Culture Amp has an ERG camp called Camp Carebears, which empowers employees with caregiving responsibilities.

Future of Wellness: Expanding Health Initiatives in Coworking Spaces

The future wellness resides within the coworking spaces as hybrid and completely remote companies seek out spaces for their workers to collaborate. Taking care of your mental and physical health is becoming more accessible as companies, including coworking spaces, prioritize the well-being of people renting their spaces. The global wellness market is worth over $4.5 trillion, according to Optix.

While permanent offices and workspaces may offer onsite amenities, so do your coworking spaces. These spaces, such as The Professional Centre, will either incorporate elements of health and wellness into their offerings or at an additional cost. Here are some examples of some of the most popular coworking amenities that are offered within these spaces:

Incorporated offerings in the space (included as part of a membership and incorporated into the cost)

Standing desks
Lots of natural light
Air-filtering plants
Filtered water on tap
Alpha wave soundtracks or soothing music
Complimentary healthy food and drinks

Wellness offerings are available at an additional cost

Morning yoga or fitness classes
Registered massage therapist on-site
Mental health counselling on-site
Infrared sauna booking is available
Health and wellness-focused events
Smoothie bar or vegan café on-site

Creating a wellness-focused workspace is a business-savvy choice, whether you are in a coworking space or a full-time office. There are several ways that business owners and entrepreneurs can benefit from choosing a wellness model:

Differentiate yourself from other spaces
Develop a community of like-minded individuals who share similar values
Create additional revenue streams with add-on amenities
Charge a premium for pricing of incorporated offerings
Create a space that is on-trend and in-demand
Improve member retention

Centering wellness within the workplace is a modern approach, but it has been proven to be maximally beneficial to both employers and employees alike. According to Gitnux, companies with workplace wellness programs report a 66% productivity increase, a 67% increase in employee satisfaction, a 63% increase in financial stability, and a 50% decrease in absenteeism. The choice, then, seems obvious.

Located in the heart of Toronto’s downtown financial district, The Professional Centre (TPC), is committed to aligning evolving work dynamics with high performance teams and professionals. Become a member at TPC to increase employee performance, wellness and satisfaction while enjoying the vibrancy of a community that thrives on innovation and collaboration. Explore TPC’s holistically designed and flexible workspace solutions here.