Feature


Wellbeing in the Workplace By Daniel Brooks-Dowsett and Daniel Wade, Trident Building Consultancy


If any company was to carry out a straw poll asking employees whether they would prefer to work from the office or at home, the majority would probably select a combination of both – and elsewhere too. Increasingly employers recognise that offering flexibility can significantly benefit individuals’ wellbeing, help attract and retain the best staff, and that a combination of office and home working benefits output – enabling workers to concentrate better when at home and to use office time for meetings and networking.


So how are offices adapting to accommodate their changing role?


Office design is changing to facilitate effective communication between workers by providing comfortable break-out spaces for informal meetings (perhaps outside, on a roof terrace) and putting greater emphasis on shared spaces such as kitchen and lobbies.


Creating a ‘destination’ workplace


While appreciating the benefits of flexibility, employers also understand the need to attract staff to their place of work on a regular basis. Most recently, employers have become alert to the dangers of too little direct communication which risks creating silos and reducing the potential for skills sharing and teamwork. Furthermore, employers are increasingly aware of the strain that social media can put on mental health and the danger of ‘echo chambers’


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being created when people are exposed only to comment that reinforces a preconceived view. So when commissioning a redesign of a workspace, employers prioritise the ‘arrival experience’ – impressive reception areas with artwork and water features – to make workers feel positive about their workplace.


Home comforts


Savvy employers are also realising that to compete with homeworking and draw employees into the office, they must also provide ‘home comforts’. In an informal survey we asked staff what they most appreciated about working from home and many cited natural light – working in a dining room or kitchen table with bi-fold doors opening onto a garden. Inevitably they also appreciated the variety of spaces available to them – the opportunity to move from a desk to a more comfortable chair when reading through a document, for example. And with altered hours that come with flexible working, they also appreciated the opportunity to go to the gym and then shower at home. It is no surprise that offices now give greater attention to natural light, comfortable seating and showering facilities. But home comforts go beyond the


obvious. Trident recently worked on various refurbishment phases of a large multi occupied offices building in Cheltenham. Unused basement rooms were converted to create communal facilities including an


‘Ablutions room’ for prayer and meditation. Improved cycle storage and shower facilities have also been created within the basement.


Improving ventilation


Poor ventilation in a tightly sealed building is one of the main causes of ‘sick building syndrome’. In addition to creating a stuffy environment it can hinder the ability to focus and concentrate and reduce performance by up to 10%. Employers and building managers must be mindful of the impact carpets, office equipment and cleaning products can have on internal air quality. They must also take into account exposure to outside pollutants such as traffic from roads and car parks, and emissions from nearby buildings. Air can be cleaned to remove pollutants including volatile organic compounds, ozone, asthmagens, allergens and carbon dioxide. Advances in smart technology mean that monitoring of air quality can very effective. Air circulation can be assisted in sophisticated ways such as hybrid ventilation, which involves a mix of natural and mechanical systems. Demand-based ventilation, which increases rate of airflow when an office is full and decreases it when empty, is a popular choice. Incorporating plants and living walls into


the workspace can also substantially benefit air quality.


Sitting comfortably Ergonomically designed office furniture


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