The Science of Aging Well: How Your Beliefs Affect Your Health
Let’s see how to improve your workspace to better support your staff.
Ensuring Accessibility in Your Office
Before starting, it’s crucial to understand how to create an inclusive and sustainable work environment. ADA compliance is a must, but those broad guidelines won’t necessarily address the needs of your individual employees. Your policies must be people-centric to ensure reasonable accommodations for everyone’s needs.
And to really stand out as an inclusive employer, you should also become active in advocacy and sustainability efforts. These approaches can all work together to help your current employees quickly acclimate while building your reputation among prospective candidates from the disabled community.
Use universal design principles to make your office space accessibility-friendly. This means creating an office space that you do not have to adjust at a later date to accommodate a new employee. Some considerations include:
- Wider doorways for wheelchair access;
- Wayfinding tools to navigate the office;
- Open spaces that allow people to get around easily;
- Assistive technology like voice recognition software;
- Accessible common spaces like kitchens or conference rooms.
The layout of your office should allow for easy navigation for all employees. The next step is ensuring the atmosphere is conducive to productivity and well-being.
Creating a Beneficial Work Atmosphere
Your office environment has a profound effect on mental health. Research shows that depression causes 3% of all short-term disability absences, more than some medical causes.
You can promote a positive office atmosphere with a few simple changes, including:
- Use height-adjustable desks for your employees with disabilities;
- Take down restrictive cubicle walls to create an open workspace;
- Add natural or aesthetic elements, like plants and landscape paintings, to add a positive vibe to your office.
Another adjustment you can make is to adjust the lighting, which can affect workplace productivity. Natural lighting can help with issues like eye strain, headaches, and drowsiness — as well as improving mood.
Strategically design office lighting to boost mood and productivity by:
- Using task lighting to reduce eye strain from computer screens;
- Installing adjustable lighting to adapt inside lighting as natural light changes;
- Diffusing natural lighting with sheer curtains;
- Using warm light bulbs in cozy areas and cool ones in workspaces for better productivity;
- Positioning light fixtures for the best effect.
After creating an environment conducive to productivity and well-being, your next goal is to make a sensory-friendly environment.
Sensory Challenges and Solutions
Many neurodivergent people are hypersensitive to environmental stimuli, which can contribute to anxiety and even panic attacks. Align your space in a way that helps these employees better manage it while at work.
Designing a space that is safe for these workers means reducing the factors that lead to anxiety and promoting well-being. You can create a sensory-friendly environment to accommodate employees adversely affected by bright lights, loud noises, or strong smells.
We’ve already discussed how to optimize lighting. You can also:
- Reduce the volume of your office by putting policies in place about noise levels;
- Supply team members with noise-canceling headphones as an accommodation;
- Create scent-free calm zones with soft lighting and accessible but comfortable seating.
Small accommodations can provide big benefits for your team members with disabilities.
Employees with disabilities will be more productive when you create a work environment that supports their well-being and accessibility needs. Creating a positive work atmosphere and accommodating sensory challenges benefits your entire staff and helps you to stand out as an inclusive company.
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