In recent years, the very nature of work has changed. Employees now demand more from their workplace – no longer is it simply a place to work, the modern working environment has become a place for socialising, collaborating and relaxing.
More and more companies are beginning to recognise that investment in workplace wellbeing is essential for happy employees. In a recent study, researchers at Oxford University found that happy employees are 13% more productive. So what lies behind employee happiness?
Whether we work from home full time or have a modern hybrid workplace, technology can be a useful tool to boost workplace wellbeing. It can help balance the strains and stresses of work, freeing people up for socialising and self-development.
Although some technology is routinely considered to have a negative impact on mental health, it doesn’t have to be that way. Technology can help employees to stay connected and increase their productivity while working from home.
Here are five ways technology can help improve workplace wellbeing.
1. Environment
A healthy workplace environment can make all the difference to employee wellbeing. An unhealthy office environment contributes to staff turnover, more sick days, and a decline in productivity. A healthy workplace environment boosts employees’ cognitive abilities and improves their moods.
The best way to ensure that an office environment is optimal for employee wellbeing is through the use of IoT sensors. The installation of IoT sensors can improve the office environment by tracking:
- Air quality
- Humidity levels
- CO2 emission
- Temperature
In addition, proper lighting and noise reduction can make the workplace more comfortable. Smart lighting solutions can compensate for a lack of natural light while also saving on the cost of utilities.
2. Social
Making social connections while at work is essential because we spend most of our lives at work. After all, some of the long-lasting relationships we form are with work colleagues. The pandemic made socialising at work or after work a bit challenging, but socialising didn’t stop thanks to technology.
Technology can bring people together, no matter the working environment. With many companies offering modern hybrid workplaces, this provides a healthy balance of working from home and working in the office. Employee relationships can still be maintained thanks to apps such as Slack or Zoom. Those apps are designed to bring people together and foster employee connections.
Isolation is the biggest side effect of the modern hybrid workplace. And it can harm employee wellness. Technology helps with communication about work projects, and with staying connected after work, which is equally important.
3. Spaces
Workplace design can impact employee wellbeing. If the space in the workplace is not used efficiently, it can become cluttered. And space that is not used is space wasted. Technology can help to rightsize wasted office space to optimise workplace efficiency and save costs.
Designing workspaces doesn’t have to be hard. It involves desk utilisation and checking the room requirements. Or using a desk or room booking technologies to maximise usage.
Workplace wellbeing can be achieved by designating dedicated spaces for informal meetings, socialising and recreation. One way to do this is through the use of smart sensors. For example, Beringar’s occupancy sensors help businesses understand their spaces and their employees.
Occupancy sensors can help with detecting space occupancy rates by monitoring movement. A better-utilised workspace can be achieved once any wasted space is identified and repurposed. It will also support the flexible working arrangements that may be in the workplace.
4. Workload Management and Automation
If there is one thing that technology can help with, it’s productivity. Happy employees are productive, and productive employees are happy! Because the workplace has changed, so too has the way employees work.
Workload management and automation tools, such as Wrike, are designed with employee wellbeing in mind. They consist of templates to schedule projects, prioritise tasks, and share calendars. They help to manage tasks, track progress and goals, meet project deadlines, and streamline workflows. They also assist with time management. Employees can communicate clearly and share information in real-time.
Workload management and automation tools help to reduce work-related stress and prevent burnout. When the responsibilities are evenly distributed, employees are not overloaded and overworked. In addition, technologies can help to automate tasks, removing any meaningless or boring tasks.
There isn’t a bigger killer to productivity than boredom. And when there is more free time to work on interesting tasks, there are more happy employees.
5. Sustainability
An environmentally conscious workplace can help with employee wellness, too. When a company sets sustainability initiatives and green goals, it creates a positive workplace culture. Strong employee relationships can be built by getting people involved in these projects. To further build employee wellbeing is to make them a part of a team that cares for the health of their local and global environment.
Technology can help with achieving green goals through tracking and monitoring building emissions and energy consumption. Sustainability helps organisations to reduce overheads, build a positive workplace culture and improve employee wellbeing, all while playing a part in tackling climate change.
How to Boost Workplace Wellbeing
So you see, technology has a huge part to play in boosting workplace wellbeing. Optimising the workplace, keeping employees connected and striving to meet sustainability goals all amount to a healthy, positive workplace culture.
If you want to see how our technology can save you money, provide productivity gains and boost employee wellbeing, book a demo today!
