Managers, how can you best support your team members with taking care of their backs?

Given that we continue to see presenteeism & long working hours cultures, the longer times we are sat at our desks, the more meetings we seem to have.

The CIPD Health & Wellbeing report published in September 2023, found 87% of people professionals had been aware of presenteeism in the organisation over the previous 12 months.  It's an interesting read with lots of useful information.  I recommend you take a read.

Presenteeism is when we work, even when we are ill.  This isn’t a new issue; this has been noted for a long time & the repercussion for businesses continues to be impactful.  Unproductive team members, even unsafe working if they oversee machinery for example, or drive on business, or even their ability to make proper meaningful decisions, the spread of bugs if someone has arrived at work when poorly, potential longer-term implications for the mental health of the team member.  But there are wider implications around the culture of the organisation depending on where things are up to that point in time.

Breathe HR have produced some really good resources on this, & again an interesting read with lots of useful information & I recommend you look.

There's lots of angles we could take around this, & the angle we are talking about today is how you as a manager can help your team members to take care of their backs whilst at work.  

The impact a bad back can have on someone’s quality of life inside & outside of work is massive.  The ability to attend work & therefore increased sickness absence can be impacted.  On that point, the CIPD report I mentioned earlier, identified that Musculoskeletal injuries continue to be within the top 3 causes of short-term absence, which is an absence of up to 4 weeks absence & longer-term absence over 4 weeks.  This includes back pain, along with neck strains or repetitive strain injury.  That survey found that absence rates are at an average of 7.8 days per employee per year, the highest in a decade.

So, in the Solve & Thrive episode, we talk to Adele Darbyshire, from Find Your Inner Sparkle, about how you can best support your team members in the care of their backs.  Adele is a yoga expert, & shares her top 5 tips on how as a manager, you can best support your team members:

1. Remind your team to exercise the correct posture & lumbar curve

2. Ensure your team has the correct equipment

3. Ensure your team take regular breaks

4. Encourage your team take engage in strength based movement

5. Ensure your team relax to release any stress & tension

Head on over to spotify to listen to the episode or you can see us on Youtube

More resources on presenteeism & culture:

https://www.breathehr.com/en-gb/blog/topic/health-and-wellbeing/presenteeism-why-its-an-issue-that-small-businesses-need-to-address

https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/reports/health-well-being-work/

Adele's background: Adele's focus in her work is to create balance, improve wellbeing, health & happiness, through the teachings of YOGA. Adele started her yoga teaching journey in 2013 & in that time has created a blueprint, made up of 12 pillars, that helps people feel happier & healthier & achieve a better overall life balance. 

Adele runs yoga classes in the Greater Manchester area & online; offers mini meditation sessions & 'talks' about the benefits of yoga & relaxation in the workplace; has an online of over 1000 members; & is a co-host on the Mind, Mood & Food podcast.

All the important links to find Adele are on her Linktree: https://linktr.ee/darbo1 

Thank you, Adele, for sharing your knowledge & top tips - the care of our backs is so important & by building up healthy habits which we could all do with help on I am sure, we are putting ourselves in the best possible place to avoid impact on our daily lives & ability to attend.