Workplace Health Studies (And what we learn from them)

The past decade has seen some major rehauling in the corporate culture. But unfortunately, the health and well being of employees still remain the most under-discussed and neglected aspect of the corporate world.

So, here are some eye-opening and interesting health studies and findings that highlight how making even minor changes in our work lifestyle can pay us huge rewards in the longer run.

1. To sit or not to sit?

A survey by office equipment firm ‘Fellowes’ in 2018 revealed that an average office-goer spends around 67 days a year sitting at his/her desk.

Sedentary working was believed to have been the root cause of various aches and pains for a quarter of those polled, while 26% said it affected their productivity.

Needless to say, sitting for prolonged periods and maintaining poor posture adversely affects a person over time.

Sitting at your desks without breaks not only makes us more prone to musculoskeletal pain but also hinders our efficiency.

This leads to the risk of injury, illness, as well as sub-par productivity output.

What you can do

To maintain focus and energy it is very necessary to give yourself breaks.

Take a brief break from your desk every 30 to 60 minutes.

Stand up, move around and do something else other than sitting, walk across the office, deliver those files personally or do anything that gets you moving.

You can also do some gentle stretching or light exercise to relieve muscle fatigue. This allows you to rest and make you feel less tired.

So, the next time you find yourself chair bound, make extra efforts to get up and move.

2. An Eye For an Eye

A recent study by The Pharmaceutical Journal reports that 75 percent of workers who spend three hours or more on a computer experience some symptoms of CVS.

CVS or computer vision syndrome is a collection of various symptoms and disorders, all of which are caused by extended exposure to a digital screen. Symptoms include - dry eyes, infrequent and irregular blinking, painful and tired eyes, or sudden watering. All these may sometimes escalate to giving the person regular headaches or nausea.

CVS is a very common and nagging problem faced by almost all of the working population. Prolonged exposure to digital screens is not only bad for our vision but also hampers our work quality.

What you can do

Every 20 minutes, briefly look away from the computer screen for a minute or two. Focus on something more distant, preferably something more than 20 feet away. This will help the muscles inside the eye relax.

Also, blink your eyes rapidly for a few seconds. This clears dust from the eye surface and refreshes the tear film.

Or you can try wearing computer glasses, these help in blocking the blue rays emitted from the screen.

Turns out closing your eyes to prevent a dangerous condition like CVS is a foolproof plan in this case at least.

3. Light up your work space

According to a 2018 international survey conducted by Staples, 80% of office workers, said that having good lighting in their work space is important to them, and around 40% claimed that they had to deal with uncomfortable lighting every day.

A third or 32% of the surveyed population went on to say that better lighting would make them happier at work.

The type of lighting that the workforce is exposed to in an office plays a major role in their productivity, happiness, physical and mental health and creativity levels.

In fact, excessive exposure to bad or harsh lighting at the workplace can lead to increased stress and anxiety sometimes even leading to serious conditions such as seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Another research by Northwestern University in Chicago highlighted the relation between workplace daylight exposure and office workers' sleep, activity, and quality of life.

What you can do

The solution is however not that demanding. Often just 13-15 mins of exposure to natural light are enough to trigger the release of endorphins and make us more satisfied and happy.

So, whenever you are feeling low or stressed, just take a short break, go out and take a walk under the sunny skies. You’ll experience firsthand how lighting improves your mood and creativity.

4. Workplace Wellness

According to Cigna’s 360 well-being survey, a staggering 82% of India’s population suffers from stress.

The aforementioned survey also revealed that 87% of the people surveyed think that workplace wellness programs need to better address their specific needs.

The survey also mentions that there is a gap between employers’ workplace wellness programs and workers’ needs.

Furthermore, 45% agree that wellness programs focus more on physical rather than mental well-being and tend to be one size fits all when in fact, they need to be tailored specifically to their target staff.

Thus, workplace wellness programs that cater to each individual and integrate various workplace practices at the same time should be your choice when you are looking to make this necessary shift as an employer and aiming at improving your workforce health. It is important to choose a wellness program that has an individual-centric approach, is sustainable and meets your organization’s goals.

Brahma Wellness

Brahma wellness believes that health is a multi-dimensional concept which is not only limited to paying attention towards being physically fit. We recognize that wellness stems from balance and not just by going to a gym and sculpting your body. In fact, an isolated physical approach would eventually cause you stress by raising your unreasonable expectations.

We are a one of a kind firm in India working towards providing integrative and dynamic wellness programs unique to every individual that caters to their spiritual, mental and physical wellness needs. Unlike other firms, we don’t believe in a typical “one size fits all” model.

Our Services

Our numerous services range from providing customized workplace wellness programs tailored according to the company’s requirements so that they can fit their work regimes.

We also design bespoke wellness programs for individuals. With a detailed assessment, a holistic plan is prepared that aims at getting your mind-body-soul in balance. Your assigned wellness coach helps you in your entire experience of rejuvenating and reinventing yourself.

We also provide treatments at our off-site wellness centers where your wellness coach handholds you through your wellness journey. Our holistic wellness retreats run under the care of wellness and healthcare experts dedicated to helping you align your mind, body, and soul in natural environments and remote-relaxing locations.