11 / 40
I
n an industry where people are
everything, attracting, retaining and
motivating the best talent is critical.
Providing appropriate progression
opportunities as well as reward
are of course key parts of this, but
increasingly they are not enough.
Providing lifestyles that balance
the intrinsic needs of individuals
with health and family friendly
options has an important part to
play. When one considers that most
waking hours are typically associated
with the office and work related
activity, it is important to provide an
environment that helps to achieve
these needs. Beyond talent retention,
and generally doing the right thing
by your employees, this is given
increased focus by a widening data
set linking workplace design, health,
work-life balance and productivity.
With some studies assessing the
amount of productive time in a typical
8-hour day at less than three hours,
the opportunity in the cost-value
equation is significantly weighted to
the value side.
In the past couple of years, we
have seen some of our clients pushing
the boundaries of the ‘wellness’ offer
to their staff, but often this has been
intuitive rather than data-based. As
the science and technology around
this area develops, I envisage that
this will become a key consideration
to tenants at the point that they
enter into lease commitments.
For our part, we are committed to
exploring how we provide our teams
with increasingly flexible options
around how they work, with a view
to promoting health and productivity
and removing unnecessary friction in
the working day.
Opinion: Wellbeing
By Colin Wilson,
CEO, EMEA
It is important to note that changes to
the design of the workplace are only
effective if there is an empowering
workplace culture to support it. When
space is designed with purpose and
focused on supporting people, it can
have a big role to play in facilitating
behaviours that make our life at work
more meaningful; connecting us with
others to share knowledge and ideas,
to concentrate and focus, to activate
our mind and body, to connect with
nature and recharge our energy and
to be inspired to do our best work.
It is
important
to note that
changes to
the design
of the
workplace
are only
effective if
there is an
empowering
workplace
culture to
support it
CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD
11
OPINION