1. Sick Building Syndrome
Are you just sick of work, or is work making you sick? If you or other co-workers experience symptoms like headache, dry cough, watering eyes, fatigue or nausea, you may be reporting to a workplace with sick building syndrome. This occurs when the indoor air quality is so poor it causes vague symptoms that dissipate soon after leaving the building. Bacteria, mold or poor ventilation could be to blame. Your employer can work with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health to find solutions, including increasing ventilation rates and removing the source of the pollution.
2. My Aching Back
Workplace ergonomics is about more than just having a comfortable new chair with three tilt settings. When properly applied, ergonomics increase employee efficiency and reduce injuries. If you have a desk job, you could benefit from products like an ergonomic keyboard, computer mouse or workstation. These products improve your posture and reduce the risk of neck and back strain. If you work in an industry like dental hygiene with specific repetitive-motion injury risks, contact the professional organization that represents your career for tips on avoiding problems.
3. Night Owls
A large percentage of today's employees must find ways to cope with shift work. Healthcare workers, restaurant staff and law enforcement officers are a few examples of employees that must deal with chronic fatigue in the workplace. Take aggressive measures to ensure that you receive at least seven quality hours of sleep when the rest of the world is active. Use earplugs, white noise machines and black out curtains to create a restful environment. Avoid excessive caffeine, which can keep you from getting to sleep when the shift ends.
4. Lunchtime Power Hour
If you spend eight or more hours sitting in front of a computer, your fingers are probably the only things getting any exercise. However, an hour-long break isn't enough time for most people to eat lunch, change clothes, exercise at a gym and get back to work. Start a walking club in your workplace as an opportunity to build some activity into your otherwise sedentary day. Devise an outdoor route if your office has nice grounds, and discuss an indoor route for inclement weather days. Get permission to use email to send out reminders, and offer small incentives for the most active participants.
5. Injury Prevention
If you work in a job with obvious hazards, such as construction, your training prepares you to handle accidents. However, other jobs can have hazards that aren't as obvious. Would you know what to do if you worked as a server in a restaurant, and a co-worker splashed detergent in his eyes? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration require any business that stocks hazardous chemicals to maintain a material-safety data sheet that details first-aid procedures. MSD sheets cover everything from rodent control to bathroom deodorizer, so you can prepare for the unexpected.
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