The Well Office Space Building Standards

The WELL Building Standard focuses on seven concepts of building performance:

Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Fitness, Comfort and Mind. Even if you have no immediate plans (or the budget!) to become WELL Certified, companies can still utilize the principles to help create a healthier environment. Let’s dive in deeper and see how you can bring these concepts to your company:

Air

The quality of air within an office can have a significant impact on your employees’ health and in turn productivity. Research carried out by the World Green Building Council recorded an 11% increase in productivity as a result of increased fresh air to the workstation and a reduction in pollutants. Here are a few ways you can impact the air quality:

·       Implement a no-smoking policy

·       Develop green cleaning protocols and keep office clutter-free

·       Install air filtration systems

·       Maintain a healthy level of humidity

·       Add some office plants

·       Open windows

Water

Our brains are 73% water, so water consumption helps improve sleep quality and energy levels, as well as our ability to focus, our clarity of mind, and our awareness and alertness. This, in turn, helps us become more productive at work. Here are a few ways you can help your employees increase their water intake:

·       Provide safe drinking water

·       Install a water cooler

·       Educate employees about the benefits of drinking water

·       Host water challenges

·       Nourishment

We’ve all heard the saying “you are what you eat," and this saying might be especially true in the workplace. What your employees eat fuels and powers their days at the office. If you want your employees to feel energized, focused, and productive, you’ll want them eating a nutritious, balanced diet that supplies them with the nourishment their bodies need to succeed. Encourage better eating habits and food culture with these tips:

·       Improve the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables

·       Limit access to processed foods

·       Label food clearly for food allergies

·       Improve access to good hand washing facilities

·       Make nutritional information available

·       Promote healthy food options over advertising unhealthy ones

·       Foster mindful eating – create dedicated eating spaces

Light

A study conducted by the Department of Design and Environmental Analysis at Cornell showed that employees seated within 10 feet of a window reported an 84% decrease in eyestrain, headaches, and blurred vision symptoms. Here are a few ways to rethink your office lighting design:

·       Consider adding skylights

·       Control glare

·       Maximize natural lighting

·       Move big, bulky furniture that blocks sunlight

·       Replace flickering lights

·       Layer different types of lighting in a workspace, such as ambient and task lighting

Fitness

Our bodies were made to move, not sit all day. Employees who lead an active lifestyle are likely to be more productive. Because exercise increases the blood flow to the brain, employees will get a boost of energy and alertness. This can also sharpen their concentration and decision-making skill. A few ways to encourage movement at work include offering:

·       Open and accessible stairways

·       Shower facilities

·       Bicycle storage

·       Adjustable workstations

·       Space for physical activity

·       Comfort

The office should be a place of comfort. The use of correct ergonomics can lessen muscle fatigue, increase productivity, and reduce the severity of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), which are the most frequently cited causes of lost work time. A few ways to create distraction-free, comfortable environments include:

Ergonomically crafted work areas with the ability to alternate from sitting to standing positions

Provide employees with different areas to work during their day

Limit sound from building systems and create quiet zones

Create breakout areas, hot desking and informal meeting areas, and creative spaces for brainstorming

Mind

The Global Impact of Biophilic Design in the Workplace study showed that people who work in spaces with natural features reported 15% higher levels of overall wellbeing. Furthermore, the respondents expressed feeling 6% more productive and 15% more creative at work. If the interior design of an office considers the occupants such as creating both breakout space and social space, improvements are found in concentration, collaboration, confidentiality and creativity. Optimize employees' emotional health through these strategies:

·       Create collaborative spaces, as well as areas to relax and de-stress

·       Add greenery: potted plants, living walls or flower gardens

·       Design outdoor spaces (rooftop patio or staff garden)

·       Offer flexibility - give options for where and how employees want to work

The research shows how workplace design positively influences health, wellbeing, employee satisfaction, and performance. There is huge potential for improving and making a positive impact on employee wellbeing through human-centered design. By simply offering employees areas to recharge and taking their comfort into consideration, you can easily make subtle changes to improve the physical environment at your office.