The WELL Building Standard™ reported employers spend 92 percent of their annual operating costs on people. Keeping your team healthy can not only provide a great return on investment, but also help with recruitment and retention.
Knowing where to start can be overwhelming, so we’ve assembled 10 easy ways you can support wellness in your workplace below.
- Place breakrooms or common areas away from workspaces to encourage walking within the office. Arranging your workplace this way also helps to promote interaction between departments, which can lead to serendipitous encounters that are good for your culture and promoting innovation company-wide.
- Rethink office furniture. Integrate height adjustable tables, so employees can sit or stand while working. Also, offering seating options, like stools or perch type chairs, can help too.
- Swap out traditional, fluorescent lighting for LED.
- Allow canine co-workers. They boost moods and relieve stress. We are living proof of this.
- Use low VOC finishes. You’ll find options in ceiling tiles, carpet and paint that meet this requirement.
- Incorporate ergonomic furniture. The average office worker spends over 65 percent of their time at work seated. Prolonged sitting has been linked to cardiovascular problems, discomfort, and decreases in concentration and productivity.
- Provide a workout space at the office, or if you don’t have the room for one, partner with a local gym to provide discounted membership.
- Let there be light. Workers with access to greenery and daylight in their offices were found to be 15% more creative. It also improves moods, stress and circadian rhythms.
- Snack better. Instead of the usual vending machine options, offer healthy foods and lots of water to co-workers.
- Bring nature in. Incorporate living walls inside your space. They can improve air quality, reduce noise and decrease energy costs. Additionally, they can help you earn LEED and WELL credits.
This is a long list, but we suggest you begin by making a few simple changes first. Plan to make the switch to ergonomic furniture and then, upgrade tile, paint and carpet to low VOC options.
