Are your domestic staff “sad”?
You may have noticed that the winter months take a heavy toll on people’s mood and well-being. Well, there’s a reason why.
It’s called Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, and it causes the winter blues between October and March.
Around 20% of people in the UK suffer from winter blues each year, which leads to reduced energy, irritability and low mood. According to the Royal Society of Psychiatrists, SAD leads to significant depression in about 3% of the population.
.So how can you, as an Employer, keep staff energy levels high?
One very simple way is to boost natural light at work.
From 25th November, the sun will rise after 7:30am and set before 4pm. That gives us around eight hours of daylight.
You could ask staff to ensure that blinds and curtains are open. You could consider offering flexible working hours. You could encourage staff to take a walk outside if the weather is acceptable, to be in natural light. Finally, special lamps are available which simulate daylight.
They are only small gestures, but may just help keep staff feeling better and that means they work better.
The Graham Agency, keeping you informed.
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