Expert reveals ten top tips on how Sheffield businesses can boost employee health and well-being
48% of Gen Z and millennial employees would consider leaving their jobs if their well-being wasn’t supported, according to a recent study by Lifesum, so employee benefit app Go Joe has created a guide of ten top tips to build a workplace that puts employee happiness and well-being front and centre.
Look after your employees’ physical health
Office workers spend a large portion of the day sitting, which can lead to back problems and slow the body’s metabolism. Employers can mitigate these issues by using ergonomic chairs to encourage a better posture and providing standing desks to encourage employees to move around and stretch their spines. Remember to offer these benefits to remote workers as well, not just those in the office.
Employers should do everything to prevent workplace injuries, so conducting regular risk assessments and implementing any recommendations is crucial.
Encourage a healthy work-life balance
Offer hybrid working. This gives your team the benefit of face-to-face time with their colleagues, while also taking advantage of the benefits of working from home.
Ensure your team switches off at the end of the working day by letting them know you’re logging off. If you send emails after hours, add an email signature that lets people know they don’t need to respond until they’re back at work.
Take regular breaks and encourage your employees do the same. When you take a holiday, switch on the out-of-office auto-reply and wait until you’re back in the office to respond to work matters. This applies to evenings and weekends too, so make sure you allow yourself to switch off to achieve a healthy work-life balance.
Recognise achievements
Give credit where it’s due and recognise your team’s achievements. Offer plenty of feedback to help your employees grow and feel happy in their careers. Praise can be given in public, but criticism should always be given privately. Criticism must be constructive by suggesting solutions and offering support.
Create a culture of trust
An office with a high level of trust will have happier, more productive and more confident employees. To develop trust with your team, be vulnerable with them. Share your failures and show your team that it’s okay to take risks and make mistakes.
Ask your team for feedback and be open to criticism. Managers are the one exception to the praise in public, criticise in private rule, which shows that you trust your team to be honest with you.
When a colleague gives feedback, demonstrate active listening by reflecting back what has been said, asking questions, nodding, and maintaining eye contact.
Offer healthy food
If your budget allows, offer employees healthy snacks and drinks. Fruit, smoothies, yoghurts, and energy bars are great, healthy alternatives to tea, coffee, and biscuits.
Encourage employees to eat away from their desks, too, since eating at their desks can result in ineffective breaks and increased stress.
Introduce standups and walking meetings
Rather than cramming your days with endless meetings sitting at a table or behind a screen, schedule standups or walking meetings with your team.
Standup meetings are designed to be quick, since standing for too long can become uncomfortable. Walking meetings let you take a break from the office and spend some time moving around outside. This won’t be appropriate for meetings where confidential subjects will be on the agenda, but can be great for more general catch-ups.
Invest in good lighting
If you can, take advantage of office windows and skylights to make the most of natural light. This can boost vitamin D, which is vital for bones, teeth, and the immune system.
Reduce glare from computers and prevent light from bouncing off screens by arranging office furniture appropriately. Anti-glare screen covers are an option if this isn’t possible.
The type and colour of lightbulbs impact the well-being of office staff. Cooler lighting tones can increase productivity and reduce eye strain, while warmer tones are more relaxing and suitable for a break room.
Encourage employee growth
Offer plenty of opportunities for career development to ensure employees feel fulfilled in their roles. If a promotion is not possible right now, offering regular check-ins and one-on-one meetings is a great way to show that you care about their growth in the company.
Tackle digital fatigue
Taking a break from computers and phones now and then is a great way to boost employee well-being. Employers can do this by implementing a few initiatives.
For times where screens aren’t needed, encouraging face-to-face meetings and introducing a “no screen” room are great options to give people a break from their gadgets.
Employers should encourage regular breaks away from desks, ideally by going for a walk and leaving your phone behind. Workers should be encouraged to switch off their computers and laptops, so they’re not tempted to work outside of office hours.
If you still need to be contactable, investing in a “dumb phone”, a phone with limited or no apps and internet connectivity, is an excellent way to keep distractions to a minimum.
Focus on mental health
Invest in mental health resources at work for you and your employees. Mental health benefits at work could include counselling or private health insurance.
Mental health training for managers could help them spot symptoms of burnout and offer their employees support when they’re struggling.
“With more people prioritising workplace well-being, employers have a real opportunity to make meaningful changes that benefit both their teams and their organisations in 2026,” commented Will Turner , Go Joe CEO.
Turner continued: “Small, thoughtful actions, like fostering trust, encouraging work-life balance, and promoting physical health, can create happier, healthier workplaces. By putting employee well-being first, companies can build stronger teams and set the foundation for long-term success, ultimately leading to stronger and more productive teams.”