Physical Wellbeing in the Workplace

Physical well-being in the workplace is often thought of in terms of our health and safety policy, infection control policies, risk assessments, lone working policy, reporting injuries, diseases and dangerous occurrences, and completing completing incident forms.  For those working in hospitals there is the risk from dangerous exposure to pathogens like Covid, then there are accidents and the risks that come with oxygen.  We have the fire service fighting fires and putting themselves at risk in very dangerous environments.  We know that many public facing roles are increasingly faced with aggression and physical and verbal abuse but how our workplace can help support with things like access to food and the spaces to eat food, somewhere to have a restful break without constantly being disturbed, a working pattern that harnesses central nervous system resilience. 

How can we avoid better the mid morning sugar crash and instead of grabbing a quick sugar rush which will just make us crash again later reach for a healthier and long lasting snack that keeps us going in a good place to keep making good clear decisions through the working day.  Having access to plenty of fluids and being able to drink throughout the day.  I know from a nursing point of view the environments we work in are often hot, with the use of protective equipment like we do with covid it’s so easy to become dehydrated, with a fast paced working routine and constant switching from one task to another, constant interruption hours can pass before having a drink, not only does this impact the optimum way in which you need to work but there is an impact on our bodies, our kindness.  I mean there is a play of personal responsibility and if I am honest sometimes we choose not to eat, but sometimes the situation requires that.  I don’t think I’ve come across any nurse that has had a really sick patient and left them to go and eat you wait until the person stabilises or goes to Intensive care.  It’s for organisations to be aware of the impact and create environments that support us to be physically well, but also the solution lies in collective responsibility. 

To support and care for each other in our workspaces to get the best of each other and be physically well.