It makes sense that employees who are happy with their working environment will work far more effectively and happily than those who are uncomfortable; thus it makes more sense to consider certain aspects of your employee’s workspace quite carefully.

Noise

If you feel that they have an issue with the amount of noise within their workplace then you need to get a proper measurement of noise levels.

Noise can be the cause of permanent hearing damage and also lead to increased levels of stress. The solutions are quite simple e.g. providing your employees with hearing protection, rotating and shifting the staff that works closely to noisy machinery and clearly marking and indicating any high noise areas to warn people of the risk.

Ventilation

Fresh air is one of the most critical elements of a working environment for several reasons-

1.    Respiration
2.    Removal of excess heat and various airborne impurities such (dust, fumes, tobacco smoke, body odour, etc.)

Adequate ventilation can be provided by simply keeping windows and doors opened or fitting an air conditioning system.

Temperature

The minimum temperature for desk work is 16 degrees Celsius (about 60 degrees Fahrenheit) and for work related to physical efforts the minimum temperature should be 13 degrees Celsius (about 55 degrees Fahrenheit). Thermometers should be used to continuously monitor the temperature.

Lighting

There are various reasons why proper lighting is important in the workplace-
1.    to prevent continuous eye strain
2.    to illuminate likely hazards

All light fittings should be cleaned periodically and preferably the ceiling should be light coloured to reflect the light. Fluorescent lights should not flicker and there should be no glare or sudden contrast in levels of lighting.

Stress

Stress is becoming a major concern and issue in today’s world of work; it can be caused by many factors –
1.    Nature of work
2.    Work place
3.    Payment systems,
4.    Shift work
5.    Behaviour of other employees and colleagues

It is wise to keep in mind that stress does exist and may at some time become an issue; although it is difficult to prevent stress occurring.