Employee well-being is a hot topic, with workspace design increasingly aiming to promote health and happiness. In practice, that can mean a wide range of things. At its most basic, the office should provide good air, light, and ergonomic workstations.
Airbnb’s Beijing office
tackles pollution with sophisticated air filtration systems, plus lots of greenery – which could
boost productivity by up to 15%.
Employers that want to promote fitness can draw inspiration from a number of forward-thinking companies around the world. The Chinese working day often starts a
communal tai chi
or stretch routine; on the other side of the globe, tech startups may encourage a lunchtime running club by installing showers and lockers. Larger companies sometimes introduce a
full sports center, while co-working spaces around the world may offer gyms, open exercise spaces or even rock climbing walls.
The
benefits for employers
of workplace workouts are said to include higher energy, team spirit, and productivity. In Sweden, already Europe’s best-exercised country, some companies are actually making it compulsory. Better concentration, more camaraderie, and lower absence rates are the goals – but also a flattening of hierarchy. That’s also the case in Finland’s widespread
company saunas, where communal sweating is a valued part of the workweek. Even Parliament House has its own sauna.