Office Workers' Health Problems: 7 Common Ailments & Their Remedies

With the COVID-19 pandemic, employee health is the cry of the business world at the moment. A fact that is evident with the increasing health regulations in the workplace. With the ongoing global epidemic, companies are worried about employee health more than ever and rightfully so.

Health problems in the workplace act as a major setback in the running of a company. These problems cripple a workforce of its motivation and will power to deliver the best. It is for this reason why employers must pay close attention to office workers’ health problems.

A study by the International Labor Organization shows that workplace accidents and illnesses claim 2 million lives annually. The report also states that office illnesses and accidents cost the global economy $1.25 trillion annually.

While it is near about impossible to eliminate the human body’s health risks, proper measures can reduce it. One of the easiest ways to do this is to identify frequent health problems in the workplace. After this is determined, comes the task of remedial steps to overcome this.

As of today, let us help you gain a headstart by listing down seven common office workers’ health problems and their remedies.

Common Office Workers Health Problems and their Remedies

1. Headaches

One of the first problems that undoubtedly harms every worker is a headache. It is because working in a competitive environment brings stress, which likely transforms into headaches. Other than this, a poor body posture can cause this trouble as well.

To avoid headaches at work, your employees must take regular breaks between work. A small break after continuous work for one hour can do wonders here. Also, you must encourage practicing daily workouts, yoga in the workplace, and proper posture in the office.

2. Back Pain

Poor posture is almost every office worker’s health problem. It is mostly due to inadequate office equipment and a lack of awareness. One of the disorders that a lousy posture brings to the table is back pain. It is mostly because of the sedentary work nature.

When workers put in long hours at a desk, they tend to slouch without noticing. It puts a lot of pressure around the hips and back, which ends up in backache.

As employers, you must invest in proper office chairs with appropriate lumbar support to counter back pain. You must also encourage your employees to move around and avoid sitting for long periods. The key here is not to work in one position for an extended period.

Employees must take short breaks, and practice stretches at the desk.

3. Eye Strain

Since today’s work requires working in front of a desktop all day, most workers develop eye strain. Eye strain is commonly associated with dry eyes and a painful sensation. It happens as a result of staring into the computer screen for a long period of time.

It can be avoided by having proper lighting at the employee desk and adjusting the brightness of the computer screen. Employees must not have the setting to the highest intensity.

4. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome means the pain accumulating around the hands and wrists. It is because of the repetitive motion of the hand in the workplace. In the most horrific cases, this can cause numbing and itching sensation around the hands.

To avoid this common health problem, your employees must practice hand stretches at their workspace. Furthermore, you must also invest in proper workplace ergonomics for optimum safety from such disorders.

5. Obesity

Another evident health issue that is common for employees working in an office is gaining weight. A whole day of just sitting in front of a desktop doesn't favor weight loss. Obesity in the workplace occurs because of unhealthy eating issues, lack of exercise, stress, sedentary lifestyle, etc.

It would be best if you encouraged physical exercises around the workplace to stay healthy. Here, you can help your employees by opening an office gym, offering nutritious meals, yoga in the workplace, etc.

6. Mental Health

Mental health is as important as physical health. In the current competitive environment with growing workplace stress levels, employees are more vulnerable to mental health issues. It is for this reason why you must take proper care of their mental health issues.

You can counter mental health issues by giving them mental day off, offering professional help when necessary, accommodating yoga in the workplace, etc.

7. Cardiac Arrests

Cardiac arrests are another fatal health problem in the workplace. It can be a result of a heart attack, electrocution, or Asphyxiation (death or unconsciousness due to lack of oxygen at a confined space).

More terrifyingly, your employees without any heart disease history may fall prey to it as well.

To check this, employers must keep an automated external defibrillator (AED) at all times in the office. An AED is a medical accessory to check heart rhythm and deliver an electric shock when necessary to restore the heart rhythm to normal.

These are seven of the common office workers’ health problems that you must lookout. As employers, you must realize the depth of their impact on your employee’s work-life and act accordingly.

Conclusion

Health is the most critical asset of a human being and also your company. This is especially in times like these where there is a worldwide scare of COVID-19. Without proper health, there is no way for success and joy in life.

As employers, you must do everything in your power to take care of your employees. When you’d go above and beyond for them, they will do the same for you. As a start, reduce your office workers’ health problems by following the mentioned above points.

To go a step further, you can also use corporate wellness apps to maximize your employee health. One such app is our Vantage Fit- An Employee and Corporate Wellness App. With activity and calorie tracker, games, redeemable rewards, it’s a holistic office wellness app.

To understand its applicability better, request a free demo today!

This article is written by Jyoti Prakash Barman. He is an in-house Content Marketer at Vantage Fit with interests in music and automobiles. For any related queries, contact editor@vantagecircle.com