Workplace wellness strategies that will improve employee wellbeing
workplace wellness for staff wellbeing benefits
Interior design in a workplace environment should be conducted in the way of harnessing the power of nature for employee wellbeing and the long life span of all the used materials in creating such indulging and healthy offices and coworking spaces.
Yet despite what we know about the importance of health and wellbeing at work, many strategies and initiatives seem to fall down even in the beginning. There are numerable options to encourage and promote a healthier lifestyle at your workplace.
Some of these ideas require money or resources, while others are more cost-effective, long term improvements, not only for the environment but for the actions and behaviour of the employee.
1. Incorporate plants and refine air quality inside
When we think about pollutants, we often think about those found outside in the air, on the ground or in waterways. Indoor air quality, though, is just as vital to our everyday lives and health, and the pollutants found inside should concern us just as much, if not more - because all those dirty elements stay inside, with us, with no wind or rain to destroy them.
Breathing quality indoor air at work, where you spend most of your time is crucial for good health. Gases, chemicals and other pollutants can cause headaches, eye irritation, allergies and fatigue.
Serious pollutants can cause long-term health complications, and that dangerous stuff we breathe in can be found all around us: in paint, furniture and clothes.
Fresh air system can prevent many environmental health hazards such as asthma, which, according to some research, affects 25 million people in a given year.
How do we improve indoor air quality?
Incorporating a fresh air system that can significantly reduce pollutants, toxins and allergens can greatly improve your indoor air quality through air ventilation systems, energy recovery ventilators, purifying fans and air filters through the HVAC system or other standalone equipment.
Other helpers that filtrate the air from pollutants and conciliates fresh air are plants! Research has shown that between six to eight air purifying plants are needed per room to have any meaningful impact.
Plants look and perform best when carefully clustered in groups, like mini forests or jungles, so this can be a way of redecorating your workplace spaces, as well as “cleaning” them. A selection of different height Palms, Ficus, Chinese Evergreens, Garden Ivy, Boston Ferns and a Pothos and you’ll be ready to upgrade workplace wellness.
2. Decorate with right materials and natural colour palettes
Biophilia is the theory and practice of creating buildings and products inspired by nature and incorporating nature into our everyday life. Researches on these topics have increased the understanding of the impact that nature has on the psychological and physical health and wellness of humans, particularly in office interiors.
Products which are made of or look like natural materials and the inclusion of living plants into the working environment can be of greater importance for developing willingness and motivation to be part of some company.
Less stressful and more productive atmosphere
A third (33 per cent) of office workers say that the design of an office would affect their decision to join the company, yet almost a fifth (19 per cent) of them say that there are no natural elements in their office and that they have experienced much stress while working.
This finding emphasizes the importance of identifying natural components and practices that can improve wellbeing at work. People have reported feeling happy when walking into bright office environments accented with green, yellow, lavender or blue colours.
Nature-resembling colours such as green, blue and brown have a positive impact on employee wellbeing, while grey and dark colours within the workspace lead to a significant negative impact on their stress levels.
What about the furniture?
Including plants, furniture features in office interiors also have a profound effect on employees. Living walls are becoming easier to manage and install.
Advancements in technology have opened the doors for durable materials such as luxury vinyl tile, ceramic and porcelain tiles, counter surfacing products like carpets and rugs to be designed to look identical to their natural counterparts.
3. Adjust the lightning to suite the employees
Greater levels of stress were reported by those employees who didn’t have a window view. Window views of greenery and water were linked with lower levels of stress.
Incorporating artificial light that gives off a natural glow is another easy element to update in your workplace wellness strategies. Natural-appearing lighting is everywhere these days, so ordering a few LED bulbs will change lighting fixtures.
Light and color temperature in the office impacts everything, from our wake-sleep cycle (at home) to our general health and workplace wellbeing. The advent of LED lighting gave us the ability to better control light.
Circadian rhythm management that inspires productivity and creativity - how so?
Researches have shown that tunable white lighting allows intensity adjustments and different colour quality, allowing us to mimic natural light, which can evoke human biological responses.
Office workers who receive a robust dose of circadian-effective light at work experience better sleep and show better performances when it comes to managing stress levels or depression.
Think of a classroom, if you want your students relaxed, you wouldn’t be able to have them like that under really bright, cool light. By bringing it down to more dimming, it gets to be a more relaxing environment.
4. Invest in fitness centres, initiatives and education
If you have the resources, offering a gym with workout equipment is an exceptional way to promote workplace wellness. Employees can workout during their lunch break or in the afternoon and then get back to their desks.
Mid-day workouts could improve employee productivity all day long.
Offering free health and wellness books, you can provide employees with the resources necessary to learn how to implement and sustain a healthier lifestyle long-term.
If you have an office kitchen, consider stocking it with products bars, fruits, vegetables, or other healthy snacks. Alternatively, try offering healthier meals for lunchtime rather than relying on them ordering pizza.
Wellness challenge to encourage workplace wellness
Friendly competition can provide a strong incentive for employees to focus on wellness, so consider creating your own monthly challenge. You might offer a cash prize, a half-day off from work, or a donation to the winning team's chosen charity.
Workplace wellness is also good for business
How to Increase Biophilic and wellness-centred elements?
The workplace environment and the relation between the employer and the employee are the spotlights of every company. If you are fierce in the look for talent and recruitment of good workers - you have to meet some standards when it comes to their wellbeing at work.
Compelling employee experience and workplace wellness programs focusing on behaviours should be priorities for employers. The global trend shows that those offices that provide natural light, live plants, greenery and water features had a significantly higher level of employee wellbeing than those devoid of nature. Although it would be great if each office space could be a natural oasis of light and greenery, it’s not always possible, so start with smaller steps and build your way up to the workplace wellness strategy suitable for your team.