Last Updated on September 13, 2024
Surroundings can have a major impact upon a person’s mental and physical wellbeing, with office and workspaces being no exception to this. Studies have shown that the average British employee will spend 34 hours of their week working, meaning much of the average Brit’s week is spent in a working environment.
With workers spending so much of their time in the office, it is hardly surprising that the workplace environment can have a significant impact on overall wellbeing, which can further determine their productivity. Recent findings by Salesforce have found that employees who feel acknowledged and valued in the workplace are much more likely (4.6 times to be exact) to feel encouraged in their work, and further to perform at their very best.
“Large, open-spaces can help bring out the best in an individual,” explained a spokesman from office agent Pilcher Hershman. “High ceilings and natural sunlight are now key for any creative industry to have and we’re moving away from the crowded, claustrophobic work environment.” See Inspiration Feed’s 10 creative workspaces.
Many companies have started to recognize just how significant an impact the workplace environment has on employee wellbeing, and further how much this factor can impact work productivity. Recent findings by Willis Towers Watson found that 70% of employers have adjusted their offices and workplace environments in order to encourage employee wellness, a great example of this being Gymshark’s Birmingham offices.
The successful sports clothing company enlisted the help of Oktra designers to develop an office space that would both help to boost the wellbeing, and thereby productivity, of their employees whilst attracting new talent for the company. The office has won the Best West Midlands Office Interior 2018-2019 at the United Kingdom Property Awards for Interior Design.
Oktra designed an office space that enables, as the design firm states themselves, “Gymshark to choose how, when and where they work by offering a range of work settings. Each area is designed for a different type of task and centers on enhancing wellbeing.” In addition to this, the offices have a “nutritionally controlled” cafeteria to encourage healthy eating and further promote employee wellness.
Another business set on improving employee wellbeing through the workplace environment is The Crown Estate, now having relocated to St James’s Market. The Crown Estate has commented that this move from Regent Street to St James’s Market has occurred due to the business now requiring “greater flexibility and efficiency as well as more meeting and collaboration space.”
Founder of Edge Racheal Cadey has further commented that the design firm was “delighted” to work with The Crown Estate, creating a new office space “that reflects their values as a business that thinks about the big picture in driving a high-performance culture, whether that’s through modern, collaborative workspaces or innovations in sustainability and wellbeing”
As more and more businesses adopt this approach in boosting employee productivity, the UK is sure to see an influx of innovative new office spaces, designed to improve the wellbeing of its workforce.
