One’s health is, rightfully, the most important thing in any individual’s life.

As 2023 approaches, you are likely setting goals and getting ready for whatever the new year may bring. Wellness plays a big part in reaching and achieving those goals. And when it comes to wellness in the workplace, that’s a complex subject. But the solutions don’t have to be. The right furniture can help, and we have plenty of it.

Does your company have a wellness program for employees in some form or another? How good of a job does your company do of educating them about the variety of ways they can take control of their health and well-being in the workplace? What steps is it taking to provide them spaces and opportunities to support that? Have you considered the impact office furniture can have? A little education on ergonomics goes a long way—especially for remote staff.

Mental Health America’s Workplace Wellness Report found that only 10% of employees in the healthiest workplaces actively searched for new job opportunities, compared to 40% of employees in the least healthy workplaces.

Clearly, a holistic approach to workplace wellness isn’t just recommended, it’s a requirement of highly successful businesses.

Tip 1: Physical Wellness Starts With Flexible Workstations and Ergonomic Seating

Supportive, ergonomic office furniture is a must, especially for professions that are mostly sedentary in nature. If employees will be stationary for most of their day, the workstation itself should be flexible and comfortable. Prolonged sitting in a chair that lacks adequate support can lead to injury over time. This results in missed work and lost productivity, so quality ergonomic seating solutions, like chairs with proper lumbar support and adjustability, not only promote wellness through proper posture, they are also better for your bottom line.

Height-adjustable desks, like HON’s Coordinate™, allow employees to sit or stand, and make it easier to move about during the day. They also make it more convenient for workers to stretch, take a short walk (if you’re standing, why not take a break and get some steps in?), or simply change it up. Combine desks with a chair designed using ergonomic science, like Nucleus®, and you’ve got a winning combo that will support workers whether they sit or stand throughout the day.

Featured Product: Nucleus® Recharged Seating

Tip 2: Speak Openly About Mental Wellness

There is a lot of talk in business news about “job burnout”—and it’s real.

The Mayo Clinic describes job burnout as “a special type of work-related stress — a state of physical or emotional exhaustion that also involves a sense of reduced accomplishment and loss of personal identity” that results from a variety of factors, such as lack of control, unclear job expectations, worklife imbalance, and dysfunctional workplace dynamics.

How do you address that? Well, for one, it takes strong management that understands what each employee is going through. But it also takes the right office environment to reduce stress. There simply must be space for employees to relax and take a moment to clear their minds. Our West Hill™ Lounge Collection is perfect to create a space where staff can take five to decompress. Many modern offices include a meditation room, where new Confetti™ floor cushions can support workers as they regain their focus.

To stay aware of how employees are feeling and help prevent burnout, be mindful of employees’ workloads, engage with them and ensure well-equipped space for downtime. Even if your efforts aren’t perfect, you will have a positive impact on your teams and how they feel about their jobs.

Featured Products: West Hill® Lounge Collection, Scramble™ Square Coffee Table

Tip 3: Make Investments in Productive Solutions to Reduce Screen Time

The dopamine hit we get from using our phones is truly addicting. Many app behaviors are even modeled from strategies used for slot machines in casinos that are known to prolong use.

It’s become such a problem that on the first Friday of March every year, we now have a National Day of Unplugging. Fortunately, there are office solutions that can help.

Limiting and managing screen time is proven to promote restfulness, stimulate our brains and improve our productivity. The little things add up too, like poorly organized workspaces, meetings and projects.

Place functional tables like Preside® or soft seating like Grove™ in conference rooms or collaborative spaces equipped with dry-erase walls to get the most out of meetings. Grove even has optional integrated tables with power outlets and accessories for when remote staff need to dial in. Storage solutions like Workwall can reduce clutter, which contributes to stress and anxiety, allowing workers to stay more focused.

Make smart purchase decisions that will support productivity, strive to correct practices that extend work days, limit unnecessary time spent in front of screens, and you’ll have taken a big step toward addressing employees’ need to recharge.

To make your organization a place where employees feel supported, and a place they want to support in return, give them space to take a breather now and again, seek to understand their wellness needs and what office solutions can address them, and encourage them to put the phone away whenever possible.

All of these suggestions have proven health benefits and should be a factor in your approach to wellness in the workplace.

For more insight on healthy workplace solutions, please visit https://www.hon.com/industry/healthy-workplace- solutions.