“The mental wellbeing of the workforce remains a key concern for businesses worldwide. While this issue certainly became more prevalent in the initial lockdowns of the pandemic, it has remained a priority for both employers and employees as it becomes increasingly recognised that staff wellbeing is directly linked to productivity and motivation.

Although the impact of Covid-19 on today’s global workforce has diminished to some extent, mental health remains a major concern. Indeed, in our recent Returning for Good study – a survey of 9,500 employees and 6,650 employers from 17 countries worldwide – we found that more than half (59%) of workers often feel periods of burnout. While reasons for this included excess workloads (50%), the length of time spent in the office (33%) and the need to ‘always be on’ (30%), the design of the office itself also plays a crucial role.

In fact, the majority (53%) of the employees we surveyed stated that their workplace does not provide access to areas that would boost their wellbeing, including digital free zones, prayer, wellness and parent rooms, and decompression spaces. With a further 58% of workers revealing that they struggle to carry out their core job in the office due to distractions, it is clear that the workplace is not meeting the needs of today’s employees – and mental wellbeing is being impacted as a result.

There is clearly a need to improve the mental health of staff as the return to the office picks up speed – with half of the workforce already heading into the workplace four or more days a week.

From the layout of the office to the lighting and look and feel of the space, there are a number of factors that will strengthen the mental resilience of employees.

Rethinking the design
As a starting point, we need to reconsider how office spaces are laid out to support the modern needs of the workforce. With our report highlighting that distractions are impacting the ability to concentrate, incorporating spaces that allow for quiet and individual work will certainly support productivity.

It is not just the potential to be distracted that plays into designing a space that supports mental wellbeing, though. The acoustics in an office can also have a negative impact on workers.

According to a medically reviewed article by Medical News Today, noise pollution – which includes the sounds from crowded spaces – can increase stress levels and cause sleep disturbance. If employees are endlessly exposed to high levels of noise in the workplace, they are likely to soon see their mental wellbeing diminished.

In an environment where people have become accustomed to working from the comforts of their own homes, some of the elements of this need to also be brought to the office. Aside from the aforementioned digital free spaces, having areas that are dedicated to socialisation away from a workstation or laptop will also boost mental wellbeing. Encouraging people to get up and move in the office by strategically positioning shared spaces and amenities away from workstations will also have a positive impact on workers.

Small details, big impact
Beyond the more significant changes to the workplace layout, there are other adjustments that can provide a real boost to mental health. Providing access to natural light or outdoor spaces can both have a positive impact on employee morale, for example. There are a range of studies that demonstrate the link between mental wellbeing and our connection with nature. Indeed, the rise of biophilic office design that we have witnessed over the course of the last year demonstrates the growing recognition that nature can boost wellbeing, reduce stress and create a more productive environment for employees.

Office spaces that can incorporate outdoor areas for people to use will be in a prime position to deliver a better environment for workers to thrive in. But even for those workplaces without this option, bringing the outside in is entirely feasible. Incorporating plant installations and other greenery through the space alongside access to natural lighting will give that perception of being outside that might not have seemed achievable.

The careful consideration of colour, texture and art used throughout the space can provide emotive enhancements in an office environment and will also aid mental wellbeing. We are seeing the workplace take more and more cues from domestic and hospitality environments where materiality and forms support different activities. Using these in workspaces and socialisation areas can help manage the mood of the workplace. For example, the relaxing nature of home environments and retreats are known to create a rejuvenating atmosphere have a calming effect creating natural areas for focus and decompression. Restaurants and lobbies provide inspiration for collaboration spaces which can help to spark creativity and encourage conversation.

There are many ways in which mental health can be bolstered through the design of offices, and with burnout and stress clearly remaining an issue for today’s global workforce, creating spaces that boost resilience and support employee wellbeing must be a top priority for the future.”

Antonia Walmsley is regional principal designer at Unispace EMEA