Promoting health and wellbeing in the office through interior design is more than the mere fabric and furniture placed in a room. It extends to creating a functional and flexible environment to build the relationship between people and space, to improve the user experience.
Improving office wellbeing has been shown to increase morale, enhance productivity and improve staff retention. But, where does the design element come into this?
Well, according to a report published by Fellowes, 93% of workers in the tech industry confirmed they prefer to work for companies that provide a healthy work environment designed to promote mental and physical wellbeing. With this in mind, the conditions and workspace in which your employees operate should be designed to enhance wellbeing and aimed towards improving their quality of life at work.
Let’s take a look at how you can transform your office space through design elements.
No. 1
Biophilia
Office plants have become increasingly popular in recent years and it’s no surprise with the number of studies that prove that having a plant in your peripheral vision is enough to boost psychological work engagement. In fact, greening up your office space has been shown to improve productivity by 15%! It’s clear that biophilia is vital to our health, wellbeing and performance. Take a look.
- Reduces stress
- Enhances mental well‑being
- Sparks Creativity
- Fends off mental fatigue
- Cleans the air we breathe
No. 2
Lighting
Lighting plays a vital role in elevating interior ambience. Subsequently, it possesses the power to control our mood, functionality and health. The quality and intensity of your office lighting can have a significant effect on your ability to focus and live a healthy life. Bright lighting significantly improves your ability to concentrate, which explains why you’re able to get more done when working in well-lit spaces. On the other hand, dim lighting can cause frustration and sleepiness.
Natural light is just as important and plays a vital role in elevating interior ambience. Subsequently, it possesses the power to control our mood, functionality and health. Did you know natural light can also alleviate symptoms of depression? So make full use of natural light sources when planning your office space! ☀️
No. 3
Colour
Colours can evoke different emotional responses. In the office environment, the power of colours are used to stimulate energy and productivity. As the lines between corporate meetings, private work sessions and coffee dates with clients blur, offices are increasingly being designed with collaboration in mind. In such a case, colour schemes should work towards fostering a sense of calm, creativity and positive energy. Pallets of blues, greens and yellows have been found to help employees remain productive and confident while promoting communication, trust and efficiency.
No. 4
Space
People can be subconsciously persuaded to make certain decisions by their office environment. If physical wellbeing is feeling good and functioning well, interior design has the capacity to promote physical wellness. With this in mind, design strategies should consider the space in which employees operate to include the capacity for appropriate indoor physical movement. Such design strategies might include the introduction of shared communal spaces for movement and interaction, separate key spaces with stairs only access, and the encouragement of movement and exercise in offices.
In a nutshell, our working environment undoubtedly has an impact on both employee mood and output. The relationship between humans and their environment influences social and cognitive behaviour. Therefore, it’s imperative to consider employee wellbeing in office design.