For everyday workers, and the rise of remote careers notwithstanding, there is little time left in that equation to focus on their physical and mental well-being.
The design solution one arrives at is for the workplace to become an environment wherein health and wellness are nurtured. The workplace should, at a minimum, maintain an employee’s health but it could also become an environment that actively seeks to prevent unhealthy behaviors and the diseases that arise from them.
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At any scale, the immediate solutions to target are air quality through good ventilation and use of low-VOC materials, and also natural light if possible. At the smallest of scales, daylight may be impractical but the use of advanced lighting systems will help workers see clearly while avoiding disruption to natural circadian rhythms through brightness and color spectrum controls. A biophilic design strategy is also readily feasible.
A research has found that contact with nature in the workplace, through biophilic design, offers a simple approach to enhancing health and relieving stress.
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Natural light has been proven to be beneficial for the health and productivity through decreased stress levels. It also helps with the safety of building occupants, most simply by being able to clearly see what they are doing.
The challenge in this solution arises with the conflict between th
e bright and airy open-plan office, and the necessity for privacy in certain work-spaces. Noise and privacy loss have been identified as sources of workplace dissatisfaction. There’s an argument for social interaction and the associated mental health benefits but there is a need for balance.Natural light and high ceilings create a sense of openness, while the tall workstation partitions still allow for privacy.
e bright and airy open-plan office, and the necessity for privacy in certain work-spaces. Noise and privacy loss have been identified as sources of workplace dissatisfaction. There’s an argument for social interaction and the associated mental health benefits but there is a need for balance.Natural light and high ceilings create a sense of openness, while the tall workstation partitions still allow for privacy.
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With an increase in area, there comes scope for the inclusion of much more diverse spaces, some of which will better solve the conflict between the health benefit of a bright and airy space and the need for private conversation.
If more space is available, then showers, lockers, and easily accessible drinking fountains might be incorporated which will be encouragement for bicycle commuting. They also present the opportunity for a lunchtime jog around the block or a local park.
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At increased scales, designers should really look to incorporate all of the above. With larger buildings, however, comes larger groups of people and greater need, and difficulty, in keeping all happy, healthy, and productive.
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Naturally, the better designed these break areas are the better the quality of the break, the better the capacity for employee recuperation, and improved productivity. Which is the thing that really should make all of this a goal worth pursuing for corporate capitalists in the naturally lit corridors of power.
The Business Case for Wellness Interventions
Something as basic as access to natural light has been found to improve the health of workers and, importantly for employers, increase productivity in industrial environments due to improved color rendering and the better quality of light. With improved productivity there follows the financial benefits.
Wellness Interventions To Existing Workspaces