Nursery World - Staff Physical Health

Following last month’s article about mental well-being, Hopscotch Early Years Consultancy’s Laura Hoyland looks at managing the physical side of the job

You can’t work in a nursery without spending considerable amounts of time kneeling down, bending over and lifting things, and these can all cause long-term problems. A Nursery World survey from 2015 found that 70 per cent experience work-related physical strain at least once a week and more than a quarter suffer daily. Ailments range from bad backs to muscle and joint issues and repetitive strain injuries.

Staff are often worried to tell their employer that they are suffering from pain. This can be for a number of reasons – they feel that their illness is not visible so will be considered ‘not real’, they feel that nothing will be done, or that by sharing their discomfort they will be seen as moaning. Some staff worry it would result in having to leave their post.

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