The workplace has evolved significantly since the pandemic, and our perception of the workplace has also changed. There’s growing evidence that workers are emphasizing well-being more and are unhappy with their current situation at work.
According to a recent Gallup survey, only 24% of employees strongly agree that their employer cares about their overall well-being. This is down from 49% in May 2020, when most offices were closed or updated to reduce virus spread.
The other 76% who did not strongly feel their employers cared about their overall well-being were likelier to feel burned out and actively search for a new job.
This should caution employers who wish to return to the pre-pandemic workplace. Many workers want a workplace consistent with their perception of positive health and well-being. That perception, of course, was influenced by the pandemic.
But, this shift in consciousness may also be an opportunity for forward-thinking organizations. According to Gallup’s research, organizations that create health-focused work environments “achieve higher customer engagement, profitability, productivity, lower turnover, and have fewer safety incidents.”
What can the WELL Building Standard teach us about workplace health and wellness?
The WELL Building Standard is an evidence-based system established in 2013 by a design company called Delos. Rather than LEED, which focuses on materials and sustainable building practices, the WELL Building Standard is concerned with mental and physical health and how well a particular environment supports them.
The WELL Building Standard sets rigorous performance standards in ten environmental concepts that projects must pass to be certified.
- Air
- Water
- Nourishment
- Light
- Movement
- Thermal Comfort
- Materials
- Mind
- Community
- Innovation
How does the WELL Building Standard work?
Let’s take Nourishment, for example. Healthy foods and snacks can produce better health outcomes that help employees feel better and reduce absenteeism and other adverse effects that affect productivity.
- To achieve this concept, the project team must show that the built environment promotes healthy eating habits through education and providing access to fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthy snacks.
- The Nourishment concept has a wide range of features that address artificial ingredients, food allergies, hygiene, and more to support health through availability and awareness.
- Each concept will have similar features designed to impact health and well-being positively. We encourage you to learn more about each concept and its features here.
Is it difficult to become a WELL-certified building?
To become a WELL-certified building, a project team must undergo an extensive process that can be time and resource-intensive, depending on the state of the facility. This process is overseen by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and is third-party certified by the same company responsible for LEED certification.
Unlike other certifications where the responsibility may lie primarily on the facility management team to implement the required standards, WELL centers on people. HR and leadership will have a heavy influence on the project’s success as well. A design firm may also be recruited to assist with large-scale design and development components.
Four levels of certification (Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum) will require varying points based on performance outcomes derived from a policy, design, and operational scoring system.
Regarding costs, there is an initial registration fee as well as a certification fee. This does not include any costs to upgrade the built environment to meet WELL certification. A project team can expect to spend more than $10,000 for the initial certification.
Additionally, certification lasts three years, and the organization must submit annual performance data and other reporting to provide evidence of its compliance with the standard.
Does Berman have experience with WELL certification?
The WELL Building Standard is still relatively new, so there aren’t many facility managers and facility management services providers with experience in WELL certification compared to LEED, BREEAM, and other green building certifications.
At Berman, we are lucky enough to partner with Lake Nona and were part of the WELL certification and recertification of an office in the Lake Nona Town Center. We worked with architects, engineers, contractors, HR professionals, and leadership to oversee the project and ensure its success.
As WELL is a comprehensive and expensive endeavor for any project team, we encourage you to work with professionals with experience in WELL certification to ensure the project stays on track, on time, and within budget.
You can read more about the Lake Nona Town Center project here.
Do you need WELL certification to enhance health and well-being?
As organizations deal with labor shortages and increased costs due to inflation, certifying a new building or renovating an existing facility for WELL may not be possible right now.
We encourage you to use WELL for inspiration on how you can implement policy and amenities to support your employees’ health and well-being.
You can include the following examples in your workspace to promote wellness and improve employee health outcomes.
Air: Inspect and install HVAC systems that improve filtering and remove airborne contaminants. Adding indoor plants to the office has been shown to reduce sick days and improve employee productivity.
Water: Provide various options to access filtered water across the office space, near all workstations, and in all common areas.
Nourishment: Provide healthy snacks and educational programs dedicated to nutrition. Offer alternatives to individuals with dietary restrictions and preferences.
Light: Add smart lighting systems and glass that align with the body’s circadian rhythms.
Movement: Encourage regular daily activities throughout the day by making standing desks or treadmill desks available, providing bikes and access to gym equipment, and offering discount coaching and gym memberships.
Thermal Comfort: Implement ergonomic design best practices for all workstations and provide wearable technology for employees to monitor their health metrics.
Materials: Develop a waste and pest management framework and source “greener” cleaning products to reduce exposure to hazardous materials.
Mind: Provide time and space for employees to engage in meditation and other quiet activities. Incorporate the natural environment into design whenever applicable and appropriate.
Community: Partner with local organizations that provide services and awareness aligned with your organization’s values and principles. Encourage your employees to get involved with causes important to them and offer volunteer time off and other resources to support them.
Innovation: Research, identify, and implement policies, tech, and resources that drive the organization’s mission forward.
The WELL Building Standard is an excellent resource for ideas, but we encourage you to speak with your employees to understand what’s essential to them. Your leadership, HR, and facility management teams can work together to review and implement the requested changes to enhance your workplace and make it one where your employees will thrive.
Create a people-focused workplace with Berman
As workplaces evolve at lightning speed to address the changing business climate and shift in the consciousness of what a workplace should look like, Berman is here to help you meet the moment. If you are interested in becoming WELL-certified or need to upgrade your built environment to include health-friendly amenities and policies, contact us today to get started.
