People matter. Some of the most significant conversations around trends in the Facilities Management (FM) industry today revolve around holistic, employee-friendly and efficient workplaces. When a company focuses on workforce health and wellness, employees report increases in engagement with their work, productivity increases and absenteeism declines.
As the built environment continues to be recognized as a tool through which organizations propel their success, FM leaders are increasingly contributing insight and change to the physical space in which employees spend their day-to-day. Employee health and wellness is no longer an afterthought; rather a deliberate workplace strategy on which employers see positive returns.
According to the Health and Safety Executive’s Labour Force Survey, “an estimated 1.3 million people who worked in 2015/16 were suffering from an illness they believed was caused or made worse by work.” According to this comprehensive data source, round 80% of self-reported work-related conditions were musculoskeletal disorders or stress, depression or anxiety. So how does this impact productivity? In 2015/16, an estimated 25.9 million working days were lost due to self-reported work-related illness. And the economic costs to Britain? In 2014/15 the cost of workplace illness and injury sat over £14billion.
With 2017 well under way, there is a focus on tackling the ill health levels stated in the Health and Safety Executive figures. The issue of workplace wellbeing is no longer solely the domain of HR. It requires an integrated, strategic and well-measured approach to worker wellbeing, from a variety of stakeholders.
An integrated health and safety programme, one focusing on employee wellbeing as a whole, lies at the juncture of health protection and health promotion. It is the coming together of health and safety programmes to not only prevent work-related injuries and illnesses, but to enhance overall worker wellbeing. This includes physical, mental, emotional and social health.
Facilities Management is a profession which involves coordinating many essential areas of the built environment with people and the work done by an organisation. An FM team plays a crucial role in ensuring facility conditions and workplace design foster employee satisfaction, retention and well-being.
As it pertains to facilities, wellness is tied to the workplace through many factors, including but not limited to air quality, water quality, temperature and humidity control, security, cleaning materials, healthy food options, lighting, interior layout, and dedicated physical activity spaces.
Wellness promotion doesn’t just benefit the employee; an organisation filled with healthy and fulfilled employees is a productive workplace, one that retains its employees, sees fewer cases of absenteeism and one with lowering lost production costs.
From an FM perspective, a focus on wellbeing goes hand-in-hand with the current redefinition of the workplace experience. From physical space and amenities to technology and operational efficiencies, the way workers experience their surroundings is key to a healthy, happy and productive workforce.
Voltix Services understands that the marketplace is looking for a strategic FM partner who can provide workplace environments where employees feel engaged, healthy and safe. Voltix Services offers a wide range of FM solutions, all of which serve to benefit your organisation and ensure efficiency, effectiveness, and the wellbeing of your most important asset – your people.
If you are looking for a comprehensive and exceptional facilities maintenance service provider, look no further. Visit www.voltixservices.co.uk and contact us today.