How Your Employer Should Support Your Health
When you have any job, it’s one of those things that can be great for helping to look after your needs. One of the main reasons for that is that your employer has a duty to try and support your health, and this is something that they should be doing in various ways.
Author:Katharine TateReviewer:Karan EmeryFeb 04, 20241.6K Shares25.1K Views
When you have any job, it’s one of those things that can be great for helping to look after your needs. One of the main reasons for that is that your employer has a duty to try and support your health, and this is something that they should be doing in various ways. Of course, it’s not always obvious exactly how this should happen, and a lot of employers might not quite go above and beyond on this, but nonetheless it is something that everyone should be able to expect from their employers in some way or another.
With that in mind, we are here going to take a look at how it is that your employer should help in supporting your health. As long as you have thought about the following, you’ll find that it’s going to be so much easier to stay healthy, especially if you know what you can actually expect from your employer in these terms.
Not Overworking You
Although your employer will obviously want to make good use of you, and they are within their rights to expect you to work hard, there is a huge difference between that and actually overworking you. Because of that, you are going to need to make sure that you are doing all you can to avoid being overworked. In some workplaces, this becomes the norm, and it’s a culture that can be hard to escape. In such cases, you might end up needing to find new work, or getting away from the situation entirely in whatever way you can.
Most of the time, however, it’s a case of just standing up for yourself and your needs. As long as you do that, you should find that your employer probably doesn’t overwork you. Most don’t, and it’s something that you can help along by not volunteering to do too much yourself either. So if you can remember to do that, it’s something that is going to be hugely important indeed. All in all, you’ll find that you are much more likely to avoid trouble this way, so make sure that you are never overworking to any significant degree.
Providing A Safe Workplace
You should also feel able to feel safe in your workplace, and this is something that can be quite useful to remember if you are wondering what you actually deserve to get out of a workplace. Your employer owes you a safe workplace, and this is something that you need to make sure you are thinking about if you are choosing between jobs, and you have heard that one place is much less safe than another, for instance.
If you are unsure whether or not your employer is providing you with a safe workplace, it’s the kind of thing that you will definitely want to look into. Above all, you should feel safe as you work, and you should feel as though you are not going to come to any harm. If you do, and it’s the result of the workplace not being kept as safe as it should be, then you are well within your rights to call a personal injury lawyer and see how they can help.
But before it even gets to that, there are certain signs that you can look out for which will indicate that your workplace is safe, or likely to be on the safer side at least. For instance, there should be proudly displayed risk assessments, as that shows that the employer has put the necessary effort in there. And you should make sure that you are doing all you can to follow along with these too - as with most health and safety, you have a duty and obligation as much as the employer does.
A safe workplace is hugely important, so this is something to look out for and to make sure you have. If not, then you might want to think about your other options for employment.
Supporting Mental Health
When we talk about health at work, it is no longer just physical health, but mental healthtoo. And you need to make sure that you are doing all you can to have this supported. This, again, is something that you are going to want from an employer, and it’s vital that you are getting this from any work that you might be doing. But what are some of the things that employers might be able to do in order to help support your mental health, and how can you hope for this to be the case?
One of the main things that works here is something we have already looked at, which is avoiding overworking you. That keeps stress down to a manageable level, and it means that you are much more likely to actually be able to keep your own mind intact. On top of that, employers are increasingly offering services that you can use within the business, such as therapy and counseling. This should be offered on a private basis, so that you can be sure nobody you work with will know about it. And that can be a wonderful way to help with your mental health too.
It’s also something that can be improved simply by providing a supportive and encouragingculture. If this is happening, then it will mean that you are going to have a much better chance of feeling good about yourself, your work and how you approach your work. So this is something that you should be able to expect from your employer and the way they provide a workspace too.
All in all, as long as your mental health is being considered, that is going to make it a lot easier and simpler for you to be happy and healthy, so this is vital for you to think about and for your employer to get right.
An Office Gym
Not every office has the space for this, but those that do would do well to have one. Just by providing you with an office gym, your employer can be doing great things indeed towards your general health, and this is something that a lot of businesses are indeed offering now to their employees. Again, it’s not always possible to actually have the gym within the office - but in those cases, there is the possibility of helping employees with a discount to a local gym, for instance. That’s the kind of local business partnership that can really help all in all.
So this might be the kind of benefit you want to look out for when you are choosing jobs. If there is a choice between one that offers a gym and one that doesn’t, opting for the former could be a really good move for your general health and wellbeing. At the very least, an employer offering this is a good sign that they are the kind of employer you should be able to trust, so that is something you will want to think about for sure.
Respond To Your Health Requirements
A lot of people have specific health requirements which they need to have considered within their workplace. This is something that you will really need to make sure you are thinking about when you are at work. Your employer has to make sure that they are responding to your health requirements properly and fully, and that you are able to be looked after in a way that is really important here. There are so many ways that this might happen, and it all depends on the specific issues that you have to deal with.
For instance, if you have developed an injury, it might be that you need time off work, or that you can work but you have to have something changed around in some way to help accommodate for you being able to work. That is something that you are going to want to think about for sure. Beyond that, you might be able to expect to stay in work where possible, rather than having to fear that you will be treated unfairly in this regard. That is the kind of thing that you should be aware of here.
As long as an employer is responding properly to your needs in this kind of way, that is going to help you to feel so much better about your health, so it’s vital that this is happening.
Providing Time For Medical Appointments
From time to time, you are going to have a medical appointment that can't be moved, for example an appointment with an emergency dentista specialized physician, and this is something that you are going to need to make sure is being respected by your employer. In short, you should be able to have the necessary time off work to have that appointment - that might be only a couple of hours, or it might be that you need a day off, depending. Regardless, employers should generally be happy to grant this where necessary, to help you to remain as healthy as possible.
Katharine Tate
Author
Karan Emery
Reviewer
Latest Articles
Popular Articles