Health, Wellbeing and Productivity In The Office

WGBC findings:

Interior design

Interior design is an art form with the power to create a soul within a space. By making an interior more functional, enjoyable and inspiring, it can affect an individuals mood and can make a tremendous improvement to their everyday life, and an organisations culture.

Configuring an office effectively (individual workstations, collaboration areas, and breakout spaces) is found to have an impact on concentration, collaboration, confidentiality and creativity.

Temperature control

WGBC’s research illustrates that access to temperature control within the workspace and ability to modify temperature to individual preference can result in an increase in satisfaction and productivity.

Noise and acoustics

Productivity is made harder by noise distractions and, depending on the task, a lack of privacy. Noise provides an unwanted distraction and is known to massively hinder occupants that require a quieter space to achieve fulfil their task. A simple yet effective solution would be installing acoustic cellular partitions as individual workstations, and enclosed phone booths for private calls that do not distract the rest of the office.

Lighting and views of nature

WGBC have found productivity gains as a result of greater exposure to natural light and proximity to windows. Experts think that views from windows hold greater importance, especially when those windows offer a connection to nature – either overlooking a garden, a park, the sea, or an uninterrupted view to a bright blue sky.

Exercise and movement

Besides exercise being essential to our health, access to exercise amenities at the workplace, such as gyms, bicycle storage and green space helps to encourage a healthier lifestyle for its occupants.

The study and findings can be viewed here at WGBC