(Pic credits: http://annazorzou.com/office-yoga/)
The trending
discussions of workplace management seem to prioritize health and wellbeing of
the work force over excellent technical performance of facilities or optimal
working hours.
A recently
developed WELL
building standard created by Delos, reflects well the current state of the
discourse. According to the Delos website, it is the first building standard
that focuses on human health and wellness. It consists of seven basic naturally
branded concepts: Air, Water, Nourishment, Light, Fitness, Comfort and Mind. The
certificate claims to be grounded in a body of medical research that has been
conducted over seven years. The aim of the certificate is to help
create a built environment which would improve nutrition, fitness, mood, sleep
patterns and performance of its occupants.
All in all,
this trend indicates focus on soft and relative, humane factors of individuals
as sources for more efficient and effective working environments. Optimization
of spatial resources, ecological solutions, working hours, technical conditions
of buildings or ergonomic performance of chairs and tables are shifting towards themes such as natural environments, well-being, fitness and mindfulness. Yoga and mindfulness exercises are increasingly common at workplaces, and employees are
given opportunities to do sports or other hobbies during their office hours in
search for better performance.
At the same
time, also the importance of social well-being inside the community as a
concept seems to be in the professionals’ highlighted sphere. Also the ways of
commuting to and from workplaces have been on the table in terms of healthy
workforce and ecological sustainability. For instance, Ramboll uses examples of
IKEA’s free
water bus and shuttle services in Brooklyn, and subsidized
public transportations of WWF in UK as sustainable ways of commuting. So
employees are encouraged to make healthier decisions even on the move.
So has the
time come when we admit that doing more in a timely manner does not necessarily
add quality to our performance but a well-spent break every now and then
supports us more in the long run? Should the corporations increasingly create
incentives for common sports exercises and alternative transportation methods?
The core of
the development of working environments seems to thus currently be in
encouraging personal development of individuals both physically and mentally. Performance
of facilities is seemingly reaching its optimal state gaining lesser attention and
individual well-being is highlighted more. Are we ready to implement these
sorts of changes in Finland?
