A tired worker is never capable of offering one hundred percent at work. No matter what you try to do and how you try to help them and motivate them, you won’t succeed unless you help them rest.
Some disorders like the work-related musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) can cause people to become exhausted, to miss out on work and to even injure themselves in the workplace.
MSD should be taken very seriously – it’s been identified as a very serious disorder. Ergonomics, proper rest time, all of these things can help out in preventing (or alleviating) issues like these.
Integrating and presenting ergonomic solutions in the workplace can do wonders. You should even invest in some quality ergonomic products that aim to reduce employee fatigue.
In case you are wondering how ergonomic products may help you and your employees:
- They improve employee work quality. Workers that perform manual labor duties that really tire them out will really enjoy ergonomic products. It will not only make their jobs less painful but will even help them rest more effectively.
- They improve productivity. Employees will become much more efficient. They will be in less pain, have less joint aches and issues, and this will, in turn, get them to accomplish much more at work.
- They lessen and reduce expenses. MSD can be prevented, and quite easily. All the costs associated with this disorder can be nullified by just getting proper ergonomic gear.
- They help create a culture of safety. By having ergonomic items and products, you send out a message not only to your competitors but to your employees and customers as well. A message that centers around safety and employee care.
- They improve employee morale. By having this stuff, you show that you care. This will do wonders for the employees, their moods, and their morale.
So, we hope this section has been informative. If it indeed was, then we would like you to think about something else. Namely, do any of your co-workers or employees look tired? Fatigued? Exhausted?
We advise you to check out the following early warning signs of work-related fatigue. This may save someone from serious injury.
1. Their Productivity Is Falling
While they seem to be working longer hours, employees experiencing fatigue tend to be less and less productive over time.
So even if you add all these extra hours, the net total is that you won’t get as much productivity as you want, as well as getting low-quality work and unhappy employees.
If you notice that your employees’ productivity has hit an all-time low, then there’s definitely something wrong going on with them.
2. They Are Never In A Good Mood
Closely observe employees who seem not to be their usual selves and are acting out of character. Moodiness, emotional distress, or having a bad attitude in the workplace are telling signs that something is wrong.
3. They Get Fidgety
Now, people have their own needs and want. But, most understand that they can and should tolerate a certain amount of discomfort at the office. Now, this may be fine and dandy, but sometimes, they can go overboard and put on a tough façade.
If you notice them fidgeting at their workstations, or that they are very uncomfortable, you should problem get them to do something that is not related to their work. This may seem silly, but it can, in fact, be a sign of some subconscious stress, or simply some pain that they are not willing to share with people.
It is, however, an early sign of fatigue, and you should do everything in your power to alleviate it until it gets worse.
4. They Seem Distant
Everyone experiences forgetfulness at some point but employees with fatigue may suffer from ongoing forgetfulness and complete disregard for their work and their team at large.
This will not only affect their performance, but it can also waste other employees’ time. It’s an obvious sign that the employee has a lot on his plate and is struggling to get on top of their workload so it is best to find out what’s causing this behavior.
5. They Are Always Late
There are employees who are habitual late comers – those who run late in every aspect of their lives. But once you notice someone in your team, who usually comes on-time, if not an hour early, to work every morning, arrive late for consecutive days or weeks, then that is a clear indicator of fatigue or poor work-life balance.
6. They Often Don’t Show Up
Employees experiencing fatigue will always find ways to justify not getting out of bed in the morning. When you start to notice an alarming increase in your employees’ absences, then maybe it’s about time to ask if work-related fatigue has taken over people in your office.
Again, talking to employees involved is critical, but it’s also important to do something about those factors making it hard for them to perform their duties efficiently.
You can also actually walk in their shoes and try out their job for a day yourself. If you find that you hate it and everything is, in fact, uncomfortable to use, the safe bet is that therein lies the problem – one that needs an ergonomic solution.
7. Their Hygiene Is Problematic
Always pay attention to your employees’ workstations and desks. A messy desk can be a sign of stress that may have been caused by overwork.
8. They Keep Complaining
People headed towards fatigue aren’t going to keep it in. Whether it’s straight out complaining about it with their friends during lunch breaks or even just a long drawn out sigh of relief when they get up for a stretch, these are the most obvious clues that fatigue might be just about to set in.
Of course, it’s never a safe thing to assume. So, an effective next step would be to talk about it, or at least to encourage sharing. You’ll be surprised how much more smoothly this conversation will actually go. When it concerns comfort, no one is ever too shy.
At Alsco, we have several ideas that can be simple, subtle, and passive solutions against employee fatigue.
Foremost among these is the Anti-Fatigue Mats that can be placed in strategic areas around the office and work areas. These are guaranteed to provide comfort as your employees move about their workplace.
On top of that comfort, they also maximize safety and convenience as your employees go about their day. Paired with truly comfortable equipment, they can nip fatigue right in the bud.
