34% of adults suffer from chronic pain. Being in pain can often negatively impact our ability to work by reducing concentration and making manual labor tasks difficult. As an employer, it’s important to look out for employees who may be in pain. Below are just a few ways to look out for your employees.
Give employees paid time off to recover from injuries
If employees have injuries, it is worth offering some paid time off to help them recover. If employees feel that they aren’t able to take the time off, they may return to work before they have fully recovered and inevitably injure themselves further. Show your employees that you value them by allowing them the time they need to heal.
Allow employees in pain to work from home
Some employees who are in pain may be able to continue working their current job from home. This may allow them to work more efficiently as they’ll be able to work from their own comfortable environment and won’t have to deal with the strain of commuting. Considering offering this to employees who suffer from chronic pain.
Provide ice packs and pain relief medication at work
You may be able to aid employees who are in pain by being able to provide pain relief on site. You can find ice packs at sites like https://www.accurategelpacks.com. It could meanwhile be worth stocking up on some over-the-counter pain relief. This can all be kept in a workplace first aid kit that your employees can access if they need it.
Invest in ergonomic office furniture
It’s important that office furniture is comfortable and that it doesn’t contribute to repetitive strain injuries. Make sure to invest in ergonomic office chairs and make sure that desks are not placed too close to a wall so that employees don’t have enough legroom. A comfortable office will not only reduce pain, but increase productivity.
Make sure employees are wearing the right footwear
Many forms of footwear can cause pain for people who are constantly on their feet. Employers should not expect women to wear heels in the workplace. Similarly, you should not expect employees to wear shoes that crush the toes. In many workplaces like hospitals where staff are constantly on their feet, footwear such as sneakers are now encouraged because they provide the foot with the support it needs. Consider whether such footwear is necessary for your workplace.
Know when to give employees a seat (and when to encourage them to take a stand)
Employees shouldn’t be expected to be on their feet for hours at a time. More retail workplaces are allowing employees to sit down while they serve customers. At the very least, break rooms should have enough seating. This can reduce pain caused by being on one’s feet for long periods.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, it’s also important that employees are not sitting down for too long. Being sedentary for too long can also cause problems, so consider encouraging employees to occasionally take a stand by asking them to not eat lunch at their desks or by holding standing meetings.
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