Poor working environment?

Investing in a good working environment pays off

The workplace is a place where most of us spend a large part of our lives. Therefore, it is very important to feel good both socially and professionally, so that it is a pleasant place to be. Interestingly, if you have a good working environment at your workplace, you might not notice it so much. On the other hand, if there is poor well-being in the workplace, you are more likely to notice it.

A poor physical working environment is typically easily visible and measurable in terms of, for example, noise, poor posture, poor indoor climate or lack of focus on safety, especially in more physical work, which can ultimately lead to body aches, headaches, sick leave or accidents at work.

A poor psychological work environment can have major consequences

In contrast, poor mental health can be more difficult to measure and manage, although it can have major consequences for both the individual employee and the workplace as a whole. For the individual employee, it can lead to a decline in job satisfaction and engagement in their work, as well as potentially increasing stress symptoms and sleep problems that can reduce mental energy. In the workplace, it can lead to increased sickness absence, employee turnover, reduced efficiency and more errors, which can result in serious financial and, not least, human consequences for the company.

There can be many reasons for a poor psychological work environment in an organization. Often it is about an imbalance between demands and resources. This means that employees are faced with objectives and work demands that they cannot meet, for example due to a lack of time, financial resources, skills or influence at work. The situation can have a negative impact on social life in the workplace in the form of a harsher tone, less patience and willingness to help colleagues, which only serves to make a bad situation worse.

Why companies need to address a poor working environment

Rectifying a poor working environment can be a lengthy and complicated process, which is why it is more beneficial for all parties if the company invests in a good working environment from the outset by working systematically to improve it and prevent any challenges. In addition to reducing the risk of the previously mentioned consequences, a good psychological working environment will increase the efficiency and quality of work, as well as the overall well-being of employees in the workplace. Therefore, investing in a good working environment is always worthwhile.