Watford’s “WELL” different workplace
What do you think about when you hear the term wellbeing? Yoga? Green smoothies? Mindfulness?
Certainly, the concept has become all pervasive in contemporary culture, with ever more products and services making bold claims about how they will make you a better you. Gurus abound and it can be hard to separate scientific fact from clickable meme.
You might be forgiven then for raising an eyebrow when hearing a building can be designed to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes of employees, boosting productivity and a company’s bottom line. But at The Clarendon Works that is exactly what we are doing.
Working closely with our architects and consultants, we are designing The Clarendon Works to ensure it has a range of special characteristics that will benefit the mind and body of the people who work in the building.
These include factors like ensuring here is abundant natural light, fresh air, specially filtrated drinking water, healthy eating options, indoor planting, noise reduction measures and a layout aimed at encouraging movement around the workplace. Shared amenity spaces in the building and a rooftop café and terrace also offer places for employees to relax and interact with others.
The WELL building blueprint
In doing so we are following a blueprint called the WELL Building Standard, which is an international performance-based assessment methodology, grounded in medical research that is exclusively focused on human health and wellbeing in the built environment.
The standard has become a key marker of new office design in the US, and an increasing number of major UK office developments currently under construction are registered for the rating. The Clarendon Works is being designed to achieve WELL Platinum certification – the highest possible rating, putting it among a select few buildings in the UK to have gained Platinum certification.
Achieving WELL Certification through the International WELL Building Institute requires the focus of the entire project team, right from the outset. There are seven key criteria covered by WELL– air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind – and The Clarendon Works is being developed to meeting exacting standards on each of these.
The benefits of WELL
But why does this matter? According to a range of studies, a focus on enhancing workplace wellbeing has significant positive impacts on productivity. For example, improved air quality can enhance cognition by as much as 61%; drinking ample fresh water can increase productivity by 14% and an office design that enhances movement can boost productivity by 12%.
Why? Because a wellbeing workplace creates happy, healthy and focused people that are good for businesses – they are more productive, enthusiastic and likely to stay longer in a job and take fewer sick days as well.
These positive outcomes are evidenced in numerous research studies scientific research and data and make a strong case for the benefits of a WELL building. So the question is not so much why become a WELL building, but why not?
Seven reasons why WELL buildings are better places to work
- Improved air quality enhances individual cognitive function by up to 61%.
(Source: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) - By drinking enough water every day, people see a 14% increase in productivity at work and at home.
(Source: University of East London) - 78% of employees feel more energised after opting for nutrient-rich snacks over high-sugar alternatives, whilst performing up to 45% more productively.
(Source: CBRE and the University of Twente) - Optimal lighting improves perceived employee performance by 18%, and delivers an objective improvement of 12%.
(Source: CBRE and the University of Twente) - 71% of employees feel healthier in offices which facilitate increased movement, and perform on average 12% more productively.
(Source: Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health) - Distracting noises result in a 66% reduction in staff performance.
(Source: World Green Building Council) - Employees perform up to 30% more productively when in an office environment that supports mindfulness.
(Source: CBRE and the University of Twente)
According to a range of studies, a focus on enhancing workplace wellbeing has significant positive impacts on productivity. For example, improved air quality can enhance cognition by as much as 61%; drinking ample fresh water can increase productivity by 14% and an office design that enhances movement can boost productivity by 12%.
