As we move ever closer to the two-year anniversary of the first UK coronavirus lockdown, the technology around us has found new applications, both at home and in the office, to improve the health and wellbeing of staff across the world. The world of hybrid working, remote meetings, working from home and the “always-on” culture has rapidly evolved and developed with the advancements of new and emerging technology.
Don’t forget the remote!
With more people than ever working at home, it’s crucial for businesses and employers to ensure there is the technology in place to allow teams to collaborate with employees who are remote and on-site. Recreating the experience of in-person participation for remote employees can significantly reduce the likelihood of loneliness, depression, and anxiety and ensure that remote workers feel valued and included.
Not only that, but the introduction of tools such as Miro (the virtual collaborative whiteboard tool) or Google Workspace can further support remote involvement and engagement with colleagues, providing wellbeing benefits through socialisation, as well as a sense of purpose and direction within their work, keeping staff engaged and morale high.
Managing staff concerns in 2022
With two-thirds of people concerned about returning to the office, a common problem for employers is trying to entice those members of staff back, with health, safety and wellbeing at work remaining high on the agenda.
As employers, it’s imperative to now consider both the physical and psychological needs of staff when returning to work. According to Gensler, the global architecture and design firm, “People need to feel healthy and safe. It’s not enough to have a space that’s built to be safe. We actually need to make the healthiness of our spaces visible.”
But how do we do that? By investing in technologies that keep people safe in the workplace, helping to reduce levels of anxiety and stress within the workforce. Examples to consider can include space management tools to track workplace density and create socially-distanced floor plans, or even introducing touchless technology, such as touchless entry, access control, temperature screenings, to integrate employee wellbeing into the fabric of the shared workspace.
The Future of Wellbeing Tech
It won’t end there. The future of workplace technology knows no bounds. Some expert opinions of the future could see desks and meeting rooms offering real-time feedback on health and wellness if you’ve been working for too long without a break. Smart glass technology could allow staff to tint glass to control glare and optimise daylight, reducing eye strain and headaches. The exposure to more natural light will also decrease drowsiness and boost happiness in the workplace.
Wellbeing of staff is crucial to the recovery of the workplace post-Covid and the expert team at hero can help provide you with tools, support and best practice needed to implement the very best health and wellbeing provision that contributes to improving all four pillars of health – mental, social, financial and physical health.
With access to hero’s award-winning wellbeing platform, Navigator, your team will gain access to evidence-based, research-led solutions to not only plan an effective wellbeing strategy, but to execute and implement it efficiently. For more information please get in touch with hero.