A redesign of a facility layout may be necessary to address morale issues among employees. The lack of access to a comfortable work environment does not encourage collaboration. Consequently, this can affect an employee’s overall motivation and productivity.
Problems with employee morale can be addressed by designing and creating wellness rooms in office spaces. An office fitout solution can directly improve employee well-being, which can decrease stress levels and boost productivity.
Here, we’ll explore what a workplace wellness room is and the benefits of working in a positive environment. We’ll also cover how to create a calm, healthy workspace for your organisation.
Why Every Office Needs a Wellness Room
Trends in interior office designs come and go. What doesn’t is the impact workplaces have on the health and well-being of employees. According to a 2022 statistics report by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), around 822,000 workers are affected by work-related stress, depression or anxiety.
Work requires people to use two different modes of thinking, the focused and the diffuse mode. They have to shift from problem-solving tasks to meetings and collaborate with colleagues throughout the day.
Working for 8 hours a day can be hard for anyone. Having wellness rooms in workplaces allows people to decompress and rejuvenate when their bodies need it. Moreover, being alone in a wellness room can be beneficial for people having difficulties in their personal lives or struggling with mental health problems.
Statistics show that employees need to be healthy, happy and productive to generate positive outcomes for the organisation. They want to work in a calming and comfortable environment. Additionally, 80% of people working for companies with wellness programs concede they enjoy the work that they’re doing.
Thus, employers must consider having wellness programs in the workplace. Many organisations seeking to boost productivity and increase job satisfaction find wellness rooms to be the perfect solution.
WHAT IS A WELLNESS ROOM?
A wellness room is a dedicated area in the workplace that employees use whenever they need privacy whilst attending to their personal necessities, which can either be maternal, mental or physical health.
USES OF A WELLNESS ROOM
Employees can use wellness rooms when they want to take a rest if they suddenly feel unwell or stressed. Also, a wellness room can offer privacy for nursing mothers who need to pump breast milk at any time of the day.
Wellness rooms can also be for workers whose job requires them to be on their feet most of the time. These people often experience back pain and a wellness room can offer them a space to sit down until the pain improves.
A wellness room can be designed so that it provides natural light and calming music for people with mental illness. As exercise works wonders for stress, wellness rooms can also be equipped with exercise bikes or treadmills.
And whilst such rooms don’t have to have solutions to the different needs of every employee, wellness rooms should at least offer some kind of assistance.
WHAT SHOULD A WELLNESS ROOM HAVE?
Taking into account the personal necessities of employees can help determine how to design and build a workplace wellness room for an organisation.
There is no need to build a new room as any unused space within the workplace will do. An office fitouts company will transform any unused room into a multipurpose wellness space.
A wellness room should be used for one person at a time. Ideally, it should be in an inconspicuous or out-of-the-way location. This is to ensure a higher level of privacy where employees can slip away discreetly as they tend to their personal needs.
Here are some of the things a wellness room should include:
- It should have furniture used for relaxation such as a recliner, sofa or bench. Those taking medications would need a simple end table or coffee table for medicines and a glass of water.
- There should be at least an ergonomic chair for employees with back problems.
- Employees looking to take a power nap would need eye masks.
- A fridge for bottled water or sports drinks for those who want to rehydrate themselves. A fridge can also be used as storage for pumped-up breast milk.
- Access to electrical outlets is also important as most breast pumps are not battery-powered devices.
- Indirect lighting sources should be provided in place of natural light, especially for photosensitive people.
- The room’s interior should have a calming decor and colours. Neutral tones should be used such as taupe or bluish-grey.
THE IMPORTANCE OF A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT
Any workplace should be pleasant and comfortable for every person in an organisation. However, creating such a positive or comfortable work environment can be a bit tricky. There will be difficulties along the way that will create toxic work environments where employees, for one reason or another, will feel vulnerable, stifled and constrained.
A positive work environment will bring the best out of everyone. Having a calming office space within a facility will:
- Maintain a high employee retention rate
- Reduce recruitment costs and
- Improve employee engagement rates
Before we look into the benefits of having a positive environment for work, let’s try to grasp what this calming and comfortable workplace is.
WHAT IS A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT EXACTLY?
A positive, comfortable work environment provides employees with security and comfort. It is a private space where employees can feel at ease with regard to both their emotional and physical safety.
A psychologically safe work environment focuses on making an employee’s welfare a top priority. The hallmarks of a calming and comfortable workplace should be:
- Compassion
- Encouragement
- Strong communication and
- High levels of trust and support
For most employers, the goal would be to promote a strong, collaborative and healthy workspace.
The exact opposite is a hostile work environment characterised by distrust, negativity and an underlying level of depression or despondency. It is a work environment that does not allow employees to feel comfortable. Additionally, lacking communication and transparency makes an employee’s job more difficult.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT?
Since we’re done discussing the factors that make a safe and comfortable environment for employees and how to foster it, let’s discuss a few benefits of having one for your organisation.
BETTER FEEDBACK
When asked about giving feedback in the workplace, employees often hesitate to give their opinion for fear of hurting the feelings of a colleague or ramifications from superiors. Creating a safe and healthy workspace that allows employees to give constructive feedback and guide them will be beneficial for everyone in the organisation. It can help everyone to adjust and improve their ways of working and communicating.
IMPROVED RETENTION RATES
Any HR or recruiter would agree that good office culture and a comfortable work environment can have a big impact on employee retention rates. People want to work in a place where they feel appreciated. Workers perform at their best when they are in an environment where they enjoy spending time.
HIGHER LEVELS OF INNOVATION
When employees are given a chance to speak their minds without the fear of ramifications, more and more people will be encouraged to give constructive feedback.
If people are encouraged to voice their opinion in the workplace, they will have the confidence to come up with bold and daring ideas. Employees will bring more innovative ideas to the table knowing they will be encouraged to do so.
HAPPIER EMPLOYEES
To put it simply, a positive or happy work environment will result in happy employees. Happy people at work generate positive outcomes for the organisation.
A HIGHER CHANCE OF BUSINESS SUCCESS
While a good, hospitable work culture and healthy workspace do not directly correlate to the success of a business, they do play a vital role. Employees are more likely to buy into company goals if they are given the confidence and space to strive to do more so they can achieve both individual and team goals. Accordingly, a connected and committed workforce will definitely help the organisation adopt a strong position down the road.
FACTORS TO CONSIDER WHEN DESIGNING A POSITIVE WORK ENVIRONMENT
1. YOUR TEAM’S PERSONAL NEEDS
Understanding the personal requirements of every employee will help a lot when designing a positive, comfortable work environment. An employee wellness survey will help discover their choice of activities or things that help them calm down.
2. COLOUR SCHEME
Paint colour and artwork can set the tone for a healthy workspace. Using the right colour scheme should be a top priority.
Colours that promote a calming atmosphere are ideal for a comfortable work environment. For instance, green is excellent at reducing eye strain whilst blue promotes a peaceful environment.
3. LIGHTING
Nothing drains a worker’s energy quite like a dark and dreary workspace. Good lighting can reduce eye fatigue and headaches. It also helps decrease, if not prevent, workplace accidents since safety hazards are more visible.
Cool blue or cool white lights are ideal in any work environment as they promote better concentration whilst working. It’s best to use light sources that emit light in the blue-and-white spectrum such as fluorescent and LED bulbs.
The use of natural lighting should also be considered as natural light is known to promote positivity and boost employee morale.
4. FURNITURE
People can’t do their best work if they’re not comfortable. Uncomfortable seating can make it hard for employees to focus on their work. Employers should provide comfortable office furniture like an ergonomic chair, for instance.
Having standing desks in the office is also a good idea as no one wants to be sitting all day. Using standing desks once in a while helps prevent neck, back and hip pain. It also promotes good posture and even increases efficiency.
5. WELLNESS ROOM
If productivity has been an issue within the organisation, providing a wellness room in the workplace can be an excellent idea. People are more productive when they feel appreciated and treated with respect.
A workplace wellness room is a serene oasis where employees can temporarily unplug from what they’re doing and enjoy some downtime.
NEED TO REDESIGN YOUR OFFICE TO BOOST PRODUCTIVITY AND JOB SATISFACTION? SPEAK TO THE PROS AT AGERO
Employees that perform at their greatest potential are integral to the success of any organisation. People perform at their best when they feel appreciated and valued at work.
Having a wellness room in the office is one of the best ways to create a positive work environment for everyone in the organisation. Our team at Agero designs and builds office fitouts that boost employee morale, which can lead to an organisation’s success.
Ready to transform your office into a positive work environment? Contact Agero today!
