The Effect of Workplace on Wellbeing

With so much of our lives spent at work, the conditions in which we spend all that time are kind of important. After all, surely you’ve personally noticed the way current environments impact your mood. Just moving from one room to another area of the house that is more brightly-lit and nicely-decorated can vastly improve spirits, even bring a smile to your face.

More than just affecting happiness in the moment though, the environments that we spend so much time in can impact us in larger and more long-lasting ways as well.

It cannot be denied that where we work has an impact on our wellness.

The Importance of Employee Wellbeing

Why does it matter that the workplace has an impact on wellbeing? Well, because the wellbeing of people matters!

Naturally, workers that are happy and not suffering as a result of their work conditions are able to do better work. Instead of stressing out over getting all your projects done in this cluttered environment, you can relax, trusting you have what is needed to get it all done.

Instead of losing sleep after spending your days in an unideal workplace, you can show up to work every morning healthy and happy. Instead of spending every workday desperately awaiting the next weekend, you can actually find a place of wellness in your workplace.

Improvements in the workplace design are therefore great not just for the sake of your personal wellness alone. A workplace that is able to prioritize wellness actually prioritizes productivity and overall success. So, how do you make sure that a workplace prioritizes wellbeing?

How Work Environments Can Impact Wellbeing

Every environment that you spend any significant amount of time in will have some effect on you, whether you actually realize it or not. This goes beyond a level of comfort related to the chair you have to sit in or the few decorative items in your immediate surroundings. Every aspect of the place that you work can impact your mental and physical health. Each element plays a role that you’ll want to take a look into.

Independence and Flexibility

One of those things that make workers happy is being able to have control over when and how they work. The right work environment allows for the freedom and flexibility that good employees require to get their best work done. This can, of course, be accomplished to some effect by having the right management policies in place and carried out by understanding bosses. However, the office environment itself can also be shaped in a way that more than allows but actually actively encourages this flexibility.

With flexible workspaces that don’t chain you down to one specific desk, many find they can truly get their best work done. Some may want that private office as they desire to have that choice to shut others out and just get to work, but one also doesn’t have to be stuck there. You might also want the social zone to meet with coworkers, professional meeting rooms, and some spaces to just enjoy a different environmental feel.

Well-Lit and Stress-Free Environments

Ideally, you will want every one of these spaces to be environments that allow for all the workday stresses to be as minimized as possible. There are a variety of ways to achieve this. While everyone may have different styles and tastes, lots of natural light in a clean and uncluttered area is beneficial regardless of personal preferences.

Windows are one of the most sought-after items for achieving a stress-free work environment. In the past, the sunny view may have been reserved for the highest positions in the company, those privileged enough to have a window in their office. But why limit the benefits of windows on employee wellbeing to just a few? A workplace that allows as much natural light in as possible makes for a better place to work.

Comfort and Concentration

For the sake of your wellbeing as well as the assurance that you’ll be able to get the work done, you should be comfortable at work. No, you don’t want to be so relaxed and comfortable that you just go and fall asleep, but a standard level of comfort should still be expected, whether that requires better chairs or changing the lights. After all, you won’t be able to concentrate on your tasks if you are distracted by discomfort.

Naturally, most want to be able to achieve focus while at work so that it can all get done. This is especially important for those with ADHD or anyone else who’s mental health is affected by a cluttered and distracting environment. In order to ensure there are no problems here, it may be recommended that steps are implemented to keep distractions from getting out of hand in a more open-plan design.

Workplace Relationships

Within almost every workplace, you will encounter other people. Even those that work from home usually have to interact with coworkers or clients at some point. On the other hand, if you don’t have anyone to work with or just don’t get a chance to interact with them often enough, it can get really lonely.

Workplace relationships are an integral part of any workplace, just as socialization is an integral part of being human and being in a positive place for wellness. Prioritize making these connections at work with communal work areas and layouts that encourage mingling. Talking and being able to get to know each other makes the workplace a much better place to be.

Workplaces Designed for Success

The best workplaces don’t just give you a place to sit and get work done. They check all the boxes for allowing optimal worker wellness. Whether you find this at a coworking space, in your home’s own private office, or with some changes at your old traditional office, wellness is what you should strive for. By implementing the right elements, it can be achieved.