Keep fit, safe and healthy in the workplace this winter with these top tips.
Frosty mornings, cold temperatures, dark evenings – winter has well and truly arrived in Waikato and it’s here to stay, for the next few months anyway. It’s the same each year, there’s no avoiding it but there are ways you can stay healthy during the winter months.
If you’re a permanent employee you’ll be entitled to some sick leave depending on how long you’ve worked at the company and what their policies are, but time out of the workplace is best spent when you can enjoy it, rather than fighting winter bugs from under the covers.
That’s why it’s important to take care of your health during these winter months, both at home and at the workplace. Here are some tips on how:
1. Have a flu jab – each year there’s a different strain of flu that does the rounds, and if you catch it, the shivers, shakes and fevers can last for days. If your organisation offers flu jabs to staff, then why not take them up on the offer? If they don’t, ask them, or take the initiative and get one yourself.
2. Eat well – did you know that kiwifruit has more vitamin C than an orange? Make sure you include plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables in your diet to keep up your intake of vitamins and minerals. They’ll help to combat any coughs and colds that are doing the rounds.
3. Dress warm – whether you work in the office or outside in the elements, dress for the conditions. Layer up against the cold weather, as this will allow you to reduce layers when you warm up. Try and keep the office environment at an even temperature and have an umbrella nearby for those really wet days!
4. Choose your footwear – walking to and from the workplace can be hazardous, whether you’re dodging puddles in the footpath or walking up the stairs to an office. Choose footwear that’s appropriate for your job but that will also keep you safe when you’re walking down to the café for that mid-morning coffee.
5. Warm up with herbal teas – speaking of coffee, caffeine can dehydrate us and during colder months we don’t always drink the amount of water we should. To keep warm, try varying your hot drinks. Limit your cups of tea and coffee and instead opt for herbal teas or immune boosting turmeric lattes.
6. Drive carefully – if you’re out on the road for work or using a company car to drive to a client meeting, take care on the roads, particularly in wet weather. Drive carefully, leave a good distance behind cars in front and leave in plenty of time so you’re not tempted to run that orange light!
7. Report near misses – if you believe there is a potential hazard at your workplace that could cause an accident or injury, take action and report it to your health and safety officer. The best approach you can take to health and safety is a proactive one.
8. Abide by your health and safety policy – every company should have a health and safety policy that employees should be aware of. Make sure you know where this is and what you must do to abide by it.
Stay safe this winter. Wrap up warm, work and drive to the conditions and always keep your health and safety at the forefront of what you do. A safer workplace is a more enjoyable and productive one.