Glass Partitions Can Reduce the Number of Sick Days Your Staff Take
Sick days are no fun for workers or for business owners. In environments where many people work in close proximity, viruses can spread quickly, often taking a considerable portion of the workforce out of commission.
On average, Canadian workers take 9.3 sick days per year. Indeed, the same report by the National Post suggested that these numbers are even greater in larger work environments. Though a sick day here and there is to be expected, these days can add up, cutting into productivity and profit.
Factoring in Glass Partitions
So many factors go into employee health and satisfaction, including some very specific environmental factors that are well within the control of business owners and managers.
The most obvious of these factors is the space itself. The sad truth is that this component, so easy to control, is too often overlooked. Paying close attention not just to the aesthetic of the workplace, but also to the innate functionality in the materials used to build and embellish it, could mean an attractive and health conscious work environment for all.
Glass is ever-increasing in popularity. It lets in natural light, keeps things bright, and with its allowance for workplace visibility, can make the space all the more mentally stimulating. But glass serves more purpose than just is clean, modern look.
Here are some ways employing glass partitions will keep your employee bill of health crystal clear:
Sectoring off Sickness
Open work spaces are a popular modern option for business owners. However, when a space is completely open to employees, it’s also completely open to bacteria. So how can modern business owners get that open look while hindering the spread of the office flu?
Glass partitions are an excellent option. Like dense, solid partitions, they can cordon off individual work spaces, allowing for a bit of a bacterial barrier. But the added benefit of glass partitions is that they allow the easy passage of light and visibility. The work space feels open, but still offers the same protection.
Employees who are feeling a bit under the weather need not feel like the office pariah. They can still see the bright environment and their co-workers all around them, while shielding them from their ails.
Clear the Air on Work space Climate
A carefully controlled office climate can be an important ally to our immune systems. Glass partitions are great not only for sectoring off sickness, but also for harnessing a desirable work temperature.
The battle of the office thermostat is well-known. Many office managers lean toward keeping the office cool thinking this will hinder the growth of bacteria. This is reasonable wisdom at first glance.
However, it’s thought that keeping the temperature comfortably in the middle is key. The body does not respond well to constant fluctuation and uses energy to adjust to constant changes or extremes. This is energy that could be used bolstering the immune system and staving off sickness… or for productivity!
Whatever temperature or level of air flow you desire, there are many levels and many different treatments offered. Frames and closures can be tightly sealed or left more open for greater flow. The glass itself can also be treated with energy-efficient coating that will keep the desired temperature from slipping away.
So, while the debate over the ideal office temperature won’t be solved here, glass partitions are a great way to insulate employees without isolating them.
Nowhere to Hide (for Bacteria)
While glass gives a light airy feeling, it is a rather dense, non-porous material. This means bacteria that does find its way onto the surface will have nowhere to hide. Illness causing microbes or allergens won’t be able to sink into a glass surface, and can be easily wiped right off the face.
Partitions made with plastic, wood, or lined with fabric can all have plenty of nooks and crannies where bacteria hide and multiply. No matter how often these surfaces are cleaned, a true deep clean to eliminate microbes would be labor-intensive and difficult.
Glass on the other hand with its smooth surface can be cleaned in a matter of seconds with a much higher assurance that most of the bacteria has been eliminated.
Visibly Clean
Glass also has a way of telling us when it needs a wipe-down. It’s a bit disconcerting to think how little certain surfaces in the work environment may be cleaned. Partitions made of plastic, metal, wood or fabric are probably rarely, if ever, cleaned unless there is an overtly visible stain.
Glass partitions however are coveted because of their clear, clean look. Surface smudges or spatters will be more obvious. This means glass is much more likely to be cleaned often, if not every day.
Let in the Light
Aside from office viruses and bacteria which are obvious contributors to worker sick days, employers should also consider mental well-being.
Vitamin D deficiency is a very common problem which has been linked to lethargy and depression. This is even more prominent in areas that experience deep winters or long periods of seasonal rain.
Aside from taking a supplement with the morning coffee and doughnuts, there is another very simple way to ensure employees get more vitamin D: sunlight!
Other types of partitions may block sunlight from reaching far into a work space, creating drab, dark corners. Glass partitions on the other hand allow it to pass unhindered. These beneficial rays can help save employees from a mid-winter slump.
Happiness Equals Productivity
Doing away with those old, shabby partitions may cure more than just an eye-sore.
Happiness in general is very important to the work environment. In one survey, Forbes found that workers who report the greatest levels of happiness in the work place also end up taking 66% less sick days.
It is safe to assume therefore, that employees who find their work space modern and attractive will be proud of it. They’ll be happy to arrive every day in a space that is clean, bright, and stimulating.
The Clear Choice
For happier, healthier employees in a modern work space glass partitions are the clearly superior choice.
