If you’re depressed at being back at work after the summer, it’s time to do something about it. There is increasing evidence that a happy employee is a healthy employee and new research suggests that only takes a few small changes to make your workplace a healthy environment in which you can thrive. For example, sending fewer e-mails will make you less stressed, and bringing in pot plants can lower your risk of sore throats. If you can grab a desk by the window, it will make you less depressed. Sceptical? Here’s the science behind workplace wellbeing.

1. Avoid office affairs According to an Iowa University report, 62 per cent of married men and 46 per cent of married women who have had an affair began it with someone they met through work. Office affairs become unhealthy when they go wrong, with increased levels of depression and a 16 per cent drop in morale, say the Iowa researchers. “When the romance ends, human resource managers anticipate complaints of retaliation (in 17 per cent of cases), stalking (12 per cent), and physical violence (5 per cent),” says the report. This has become such a problem that some companies make their employees sign “love contracts”, which force them to declare any relationships they strike up at work.

2. Go home earlier Researchers at the University of California have found a link between number of hours worked and risk of increased blood pressure. Their results indicate that men and women working 40 hours a week had a 14 per cent increased risk of hypertension compared with those working between 11 and 39 hours a week. For those who worked between 41 and 50 hours a week, the risk increased to 17 per cent and for more than 51 hours weekly, it rose by 29 per cent.

3. Use the stairs Research at the University of Ulster has shown that people who climb the stairs rather than using the lift at work have lower cholesterol, better breathing, healthier hearts and weigh less. In a two-month study, researchers gradually increased the number of stairs that participants were climbing, until they were climbing 199 steps five times a day. By the end of 60 days, compared with a control group, the steppers had a 17.1 per cent increase in breathing volume and a 7.7 per cent drop in bad cholesterol.

4. Move the computer screen We all know that having a computer screen in the wrong position can lead to headaches, tiredness and long-term neck, back, shoulder and wrist pain. But researchers from Kongsberg College of Engineering, Norway, quantified the long-term effects of screen position on 150 offices workers. They found that employees who had their screens positioned just 15 degrees out of the correct position had more pain, more sick leave and less movement of their necks. To correctly position a screen, make sure that the top of the screen is at your eye level.

5. Buy some potted plants Potted plants in the office reduce the risk of dry throats and stuffed-up noses. Researchers at the National Institute of Occupational Health in Oslo investigated the health effects of foliage plants in the office and found that nose, throat and dry skin symptoms were 23 per cent lower in offices with greenery. Cough and fatigue were reduced by 37 and 30 per cent respectively. The Norwegian scientists don’t exactly know why office plants should have this effect, but it has been suggested that it may be on account of improvements in air quality or the psychological effects of a leafy environment.

6. Ration e-mail One worker in three is suffering from e-mail stress. Researchers at Paisley University have found that some people check for e-mails 40 times a minute, and it all adds to workplace pressure. The researchers found that women feel under more pressure to reply instantly than men, with less than a third leaving replying until the following day. Try turning off the instant messaging system and only checking e-mails twice a day.

7. Let it all out Bottling up emotions is not good for us and may play a role in depression and heart disease. A 2003 study in the journal Stress and Health asked a group of workers to keep an “emotion diary”, and encouraged them to express their feelings. As a result, the workers experienced less stress and better overall health.

8. Decorate your office The right colour and level of lighting can improve mood and reduce headaches. A study at the University of Texas showed that people working in white and predominantly blue-green offices had higher perceived job performance and satisfaction and better mood than those in the predominantly red office.

9. Choose your desk wisely Nab a desk next to a window but away from the printer. Researchers at the Lund Institute of Technology, Sweden, found that worker mood was lowest when the office lighting was too low, and sitting by the window was good for mood. And printers may be bad for your lungs. A study published last month by the Queensland University of Technology found that printers can cause a form of indoor air pollution. They release tiny particles of toner-like material into the air, which could be inhaled into the lungs, possibly posing a health risk. The researchers recommend that offices are well-ventilated.

10. Consider going it alone OK, so it’s a big step, but research indicates that people who take the plunge and become self-employed report a higher level of job satisfaction and less stress. A study last year in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology found that self-employed people had greater autonomy and less job pressure than those in big organisations.

Counting the sick days

7 The UK average annual number of sick leave days per person

75% of all sick days are due to stress and back pain

212 The number of people killed at work in 2005

13.4 BILLION The cost to industry of sick leave in 2006

SOURCE: Confederation of British Industry, Health and Safety Executive

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