Research conducted by the government found that higher levels of employee wellbeing results in improved performance and levels of productivity in the workplace.

Happier employees can result in increased profitability and quality of output. When workers feel valued, receive development opportunities and are given greater autonomy they are likely to perform better.

Tese areas should be a part of your long-term strategy for company development. However,  there are a number of ways you can improve your employees’ working environment to boost wellbeing and productivity.

Install a coffee machine

The UK economy could save an astonishing £42.7 billion if every worker had access to a coffee machine throughout the day. Studies have shown that employees who have coffee on tap in the office are productive for 24 extra minutes a day compared to those that don’t.

It’s not true, however, that coffee wakes you up. What it actually does is block the chemical in the brain that makes you feel lethargic and sleepy.

Have a coffee when you first wake up and when your energy starts to deplete in the afternoon. This can block that sleepiness from creeping in and keep you going for longer.

Create a dedicated break room can improve employee wellness

It’s a common misconception that staying glued to your desk 9-to-5 is good for productivity. In reality, failing to take a break, and even eating lunch in front of your computer, can be counterproductive when it comes to professional success.

While you might think that being stuck to your desk and working all hours of the day will make you more productive, you’re wrong.

Research from MIT shows that those employees that take the time to talk to their colleagues and get away from their desks are actually more productive than those that don’t.

Get moving and change your visual stimuli to kick-start your brain. This can make your ideas more innovative and help you focus.

Regular movement and breaks are also vital to employee well-being and satisfaction levels.

Encourage lunch away from the desk

Along similar lines, it has also become common place to eat your lunch at your desk. Scoffing a sandwich midday has become the norm for many office workers wanting to make a positive impression on their superiors.

Yet, research shows that it’s imperative to get away from the computer screen and get outside. This can boost your concentration levels. Studies have found that those who take regular 15 or 20 minute breaks throughout the day have even high levels of concentration.

It’s about giving your employees time to decompress, process their ideas and also rest their eyes. By doing so you could see better quality work, produced in shorter time frames.

Get the lighting right

A relatively quick and inexpensive way of improving an office environment is to get the lighting right.

When light levels are low in the winter, our vitamin D intake plummets. The impact of this can be devastating. Low vitamin D levels are linked to depression and can weaken employees immune system.

This can obviously have an impact on both employee’s attendance rates and their ability to perform work tasks effectively and efficiently.

If the nature of your employees’ work keeps them indoors all day, it’s vital that they have access to natural light. Supplement a lack of windows with SAD lamps, which can compensate for the lack of exposure to sunlight.

Additionally, poor lighting can lead to eye strain. Make sure workstations are effectively lit and that screen is free from glare.

The right lighting will make your workers calmer, increase positivity and facilitate creativity.

To wrap up

Development opportunities, ensuring your employees feel valued and rewarding good work are all vital to a happy and productive workforce.

However, there are also some small changes that you can make your workers’ environment to encourage positive well-being. Which, in turn, will raise productivity levels and can improve attendance.

Encourage proper breaks both physically and mentally from work, provide coffee and invest in adequate lighting. You may find that both your profits and the quality of your output improve dramatically over time.