While workplace safety is a serious affair, a lot of safety hazards can still easily be missed. While regulations dealing with fire drills and hazardous materials are all well-known, there are also some hidden hazards that can do some serious damage to workplaces if unchecked. These hidden hazards can have quite a heavy toll on workplace well-being, productivity, and profitability of a business. 

So, let’s have a look at the biggest safety issues in the modern office workplace. 

Furniture and Office Design 

We spend a lot of time sitting at our desks, and this can have some quite serious health effects. Safe Work Australia reports that prolonged sitting has been linked to several health issues, including musculoskeletal disorders, cardiovascular disorders, diabetes, obesity, poor mental health, some cancers, and even premature death. 

There are a number of different reasons why workers may suffer from these health effects. In particular, they are made more likely when we don’t get enough muscular activity and blood flow. Also, unavoidable human behaviours such as: sitting with a poor posture, or even not changing between different postures enough, can contribute to some of the above health concerns. 

What Is Christie Spaces Doing?

All of our offices and project spaces are also designed to allow for dynamic collaboration. This means that office users can work in different ways at different times — moving seats, standing, etc.— rather than staying at one desk all day, every day. We also provide breakout rooms so that office users can get up and move away from their desks when needed. 

Bullying and Poor Treatment

Staying safe at work isn’t just about avoiding physical hazards. One of the most expensive safety hazards for workplaces is bullying. This bullying might be perpetrated by those in management positions, but it can also occur laterally between team members. 

This might seem like an age-old problem, but research suggests that it is a phenomenon on the rise. The Harvard Business Review has been polling workers since 1998, observing a steady rise of people reporting incivility at work. In 1998, just under 50% of surveyed workers reported being spoken to rudely by coworkers at least once a month. In 2011, that figure climbed to 55%, before hitting 62% in 2016. 

Evidence strongly suggests that a high incidence of bullying at work leads to poorer physical and mental health. A 2017 report by Deloitte found that a stressful work environment increased the odds of employees having a physician-diagnosed illness by 35%. It also found that 45% of sick days resulted from high levels of stress. This represents a huge limitation on a business’ ability to perform well.

It has also been reported that workplace bullying and incivility has direct flow-on effects for workplace performance, employee turnover, customer experience, and the capacity of employees to collaborate effectively. 

What Is Christie Spaces Doing?

Collaboration and community are at the very core of Christie Spaces’ coworking culture, and this is reflected in our community guidelines, events and team. Our workspaces are set up expressly to promote healthy and open working environments. We also provide excellent communal facilities like kitchens and breakout rooms to promote positive and stress-free work and collaborative.

Physical Hazards

While you are unlikely to come into contact with any hazardous chemicals in an office space, there are still some physical hazards that can occur. Probably the most notable safety fdrill for large office spaces is fire safety.

Other physical hazards that might be relevant to office safety are tripping on power cords, obstructions in common pathways, using poor technique when lifting heavy objects, and falling in stairwells. Even though these dangers are relatively remote, it is still important to be aware of them and to take practical measures to make the working environment safer. 

What Is Christie Spaces Doing?

Christie Spaces takes all forms of office safety seriously, and it has measures in place to avoid all of the above dangers. In particular, it has a detailed office fire plan with designated fire wardens. Some members of our permanent support staff on hand are accredited in resuscitation, and trained to deal with emergencies and continually ensure that the workspaces are meeting safety standards. In summation, we provide a safe environment for you to work in so that you can focus on achieving your goals.