Supporting Self-Care in the Workplace – 10 Easy Ways to Enhance Well-being

In today’s fast-paced work environment, where many of us spend hours in front of computer screens, prioritising self-care is more important than ever. As a manager, supporting your team’s well-being not only enhances productivity but also fosters a positive and healthy work culture.

Struggling with workplace stress and fatigue? These 10 simple self-care strategies help business owners, HR, and managers support employee well-being in computer-intensive environments—boosting productivity and workplace morale.

Why Workplace Self-Care Matters

• Long hours at a desk can lead to fatigue, stress, and physical discomfort.

• Poor self-care affects focus, productivity, and overall job satisfaction.

• Simple self-care habits help prevent burnout and promote long-term well-being.

 

10 Practical Ways to Support Self-Care at Work

1. Encourage Regular Breaks: Remind your team to take short breaks every hour to stretch, relax their eyes, and rejuvenate their minds.
   • Mini-Breaks | Quick walk for a drink or rest stop
   • Micro-Breaks | Encourage a couple of stretches or stand and giggle at the desk between blocks of work.
     • CLICK HERE to download the Stretch at Your Desk PDF
     • CLICK HERE and share this short YouTube video of Stretch At Your Desk with your team.

2. Provide Ergonomic Equipment: Ensure your team has ergonomic chairs, keyboards, and monitors to reduce strain and prevent injuries.
   • AND, ensure your team can personalise the adjustment to fit their stature.
   • CLICK HERE to discover the on-demand skills workshop and download the flyer for the Free Introductory workshop.

Introduction to the Three Pillars of Self-Care for Computer-Intensive work.

3. Promote Good Posture: Encourage your team to sit up straight and adjust their chairs and monitors to maintain proper posture. If you would also like to reduce upper-body aches and pain by 50% with one simple work habit…
   • Introduce the Roll-Reset-Relax dynamic stretch sequence that releases muscle tension in the neck and shoulders, resets work posture back to relax and neutral and encourages a sense of postural awareness.
   • CLICK HERE to download the Roll-Reset-Relax poster and instructions.
   • CLICK HERE and share this Roll-Reset-Relax YouTube video explainer with your team.

4. Encourage Eye Rest: Remind your team about the 20-20-20 rule—every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds to reduce eye strain.
   • Great Tip: Looking into a Green Space poster creates the same visual distance benefits, and adding slow, deep breaths makes this a great calming technique.

5. Offer Training: Training for modern computer-intensive work needs to go beyond ergonomics.
   • For businesses to improve productivity and labour costs and decrease work-related pain and the risk of injury claims, managers must now extend training to build the Personal Protective Behaviours (PPBs) individuals need for modern computer-intensive and increasingly sedentary work.
   • CLICK HERE to learn about the on-demand workshop and download the flyer to the Free Introductory workshop.
     • Introduction to the Three Pillars of Self-Care for Computer-Intensive Work.
   • CLICK HERE to download the Beyond Ergo | Business Training Explainer and Overview.

6. Encourage Physical Activity: Promote physical activity outside of work to counteract the effects of sedentary computer work.

• • The Good News | Virtually any form of exercise, from aerobics to yoga, can relieve stress and build fitness. Regular exercise boosts brain function, combats stress and burnout, releases muscle tension and builds physical conditioning to avoid common work-related pain points.
  • CLICK HERE and share the link to the English NHS link to the Active 10 Being active for 10 minutes three times daily is as good as 30 minutes of continuous exercise.

7. Support Mental Health: Provide resources for stress management and mental health support, such as access to counselling services or mindfulness training.

• • CLICK HERE to join the notification list for our next FREE Mental Health and Resilience This webinar is designed for leaders who desire to proactively take early steps to support team mental health and resilience before they need the bigger and more personal ‘R.U.Okay’ talk.

8. Create a Supportive Environment: Foster a culture that values self-care and encourages open communication about health issues.
   • Beyond Ergo programs provide the additional support leaders need to easily transfer and support Self–Care. Your roles are busy enough without any additional research and planning.

9. Lead by Example: Model healthy behaviour by taking breaks, practising good posture, and prioritising self-care.
   • As leaders, managers play a pivotal role in reviewing, encouraging and demonstrating the new self-care work skills that should now be part of all workplace health, safety and wellness programs for computer-intensive work.

10. Provide Resources: Offer resources such as ergonomic assessments, standing desks, and access to health and wellness programs.
    • Cognitive science tells us that providing knowledge is just the first step in effective training. The real work is putting what we learn into practice. This is why Beyond Ergo developed the CHAMPS Program to ensure leaders have the skills, resources and confidence to support team health, safety and wellness.

 

How to Implement These Changes in Your Workplace

• Start small—introduce one or two self-care habits at a time.

• Get employee feedback to tailor wellness initiatives.

• Lead by example—when management prioritizes well-being, employees follow.

• Provide simple, accessible resources like posters, email reminders, or wellness newsletters.

The Benefits of Prioritizing Employee Well-being

• Fewer sick days – Prevents burnout, fatigue, and work-related injuries.

• Higher productivity – Employees with better well-being perform at their best.

• Improved morale – A healthier work environment leads to happier teams.

• Stronger retention – Employees stay longer in workplaces that care about their well-being.

 

FAQs – Addressing Common Questions

• How can small companies implement self-care initiatives?

  • Start with free or low-cost solutions like break reminders and hydration stations.

• What are cost-effective wellness strategies?

  • Simple things like stretching, flexible work policies, and mental health support make a big impact.

• How quickly can these changes make a difference?

  • Many employees feel improvements in energy and focus within days of implementing self-care habits.

 

By implementing these strategies, you can support your team in developing self-care skills and create a workplace that prioritises well-being. Investing in your team’s health not only benefits them individually but also contributes to a more productive and positive work environment overall.

Ready to build a healthier, more productive workplace? Start implementing these self-care strategies today and see the difference!