M
ental health charity Mind recently
published their third annual
Workplace Wellbeing Index for
2018-19. The research reveals that mental
health problems are not unusual in the
workplace, and the charity emphasises it is
crucial that organisations now make staff
wellbeing a priority.
Workplace cultures aside, the spaces that
we work in have a great impact, and there is
much that we as architects and designers
can do to employ great design.
What drives wellbeing?
Several factors can be attributed to this.
Awareness of the importance of prioritising
workforce wellbeing is increasing among
companies, as past research clearly
demonstrates how it improves productivity
and therefore profits. Employers are also
beginning to recognise that they have
responsibilities towards their staff. Today’s
workers also know to be more demanding,
being aware of what their office could be
and the effects of their environment on their
mental and physical health.
Demand for healthy buildings –
an opportunity
From a developer’s perspective, wellbeing
measures are an essential part of meeting
their brief to stay competitive in the market.
Investing more money in developing a
strong design at the early stages of a project
will almost guarantee that a developer reaps
greater commercial rewards further
down the line, be this for better lighting
conditions, effective acoustics, or optimum
air quality. The knock-on effects from a
healthier building are significant – happier,
healthier occupants mean lower staff
turnover and increased productivity.
We should see this as a great opportunity
to produce better buildings for all of us,
rather than an unwanted challenge. Debates
that we were having not that long ago
around whether amenities such as cycle
stores, showers, lockers and roof terraces
are provided are now provided as a given, as
they should be. And we’re discussing other
considerations to encourage more active and
fulfilling lifestyles and how they can be
incorporated into our working lives, and the
buildings we produce.
Making the physical workplace more
appealing to workers is beneficial to
developers and agents alike. There are
numerous ways to achieve this; some offices
install anything from bars and cafes to slides
and mini golf, and recreational spaces are
increasingly needed, in an age where the
boundary between life and work is blurred.Tech to serve our needs
Healthy buildings are increasingly ‘smart’
buildings too. Yet, while investing in
integrating technology into a building, we
need to be mindful that it may have a
design shelf life. Architects and designers
have to carefully assess technology and see
will it make people’s lives better or is it just
a shiny new toy. The purpose of technology,
after all, is to improve our lives rather than
to be fetishised.
It’s crucial to create spaces that are
adaptable and allow for flexibility and ease
of implementation in years to come. Yet the
spaces need to accommodate all the ways in
which we work today, with co-working
environments, private spaces, break out
areas and cafes.Following the recent Stress Awareness Month and Mental Health Awareness Week,
Charles Bettes of architects and interior designers gpad delves deeper into the
importance of good design in “optimising the workplace for our mutual good”
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