CAPITAL WATCH

he press seem to be fixated by the ‘millennial’ as if

they are the only generation in the workplace now.

The fact is we have a multi-generational workforce, many

of whom will work until they are 75, probably for multiple

companies. To do this they will need to be fit and healthy

well after that to enjoy any sort of retirement.

If our employees really matter, then their wellbeing,

not just their productivity should be of concern even to

the most hardnosed employer. All generations at work

today expect choice, flexibility, authentic connections

with their managers and co-workers, knowledge sharing,

convenience and their wellbeing to be considered. How

your workplace is designed and operated is a vital piece of

what HR professionals call the ‘employee proposition’.

HR and property professionals now need to work

together to bring about real changes to this employee

proposition to support “integrated wellness” delivery both

at individual and enterprise wide level. How we design,

manage and use our workplace is fundamental to how our

employees feel about the company, the work they do, and

the choice of where they do that work, both inside our

offices and elsewhere.

For some employers and property professionals the

penny has finally dropped. There is a variety of factors

which affect employee wellbeing and the success of an

enterprise. Not taking an employee centred approach will

lead to missed opportunities.

Integrating wellbeing is more than doing the right

thing about the built environment, workplace design and

delivery to support better health. Simply embedding

more active design, and greater thought and action about

the environmental conditions within offices is a start

By Peter Jones,

Partner, Strategic

Consulting

but not the whole story. We already know that good air

circulation, light and temperature can have a positive

effect on employee productivity. However, now it is more

important for property professionals to support occupiers

and investors to understand how they can contribute to

the support of the whole employee experience of wellness

that the employer supports, and is imperative to retain the

good engaged and motivated people for their business.

As an example of how things are changing: some

companies in Sweden are now supporting their employees’

wellness by rewarding them if they exercise three hours

per week outside normal working hours. If they do, they

can get an additional week of vacation, thus promoting

prevention of stress-related illness and greater physical

fitness among employees.

Wellness is actually about employee experience leading to

better performance, and the resources employers give them

to be effective, creative, collaborative and less stressed,

the more valuable they will become for the enterprise.

Wellness is not a hippy concept or a buzzword, it is the

path to greater performance of individuals and for the

companies that take it seriously, it is a new opportunity

for the fixed environment to add value, and be seen as an

investment than a cost.

I suggest you get in touch with both your workplace

strategy team, and your HR Team to build an alliance on

an integrated approach to wellness, and a portfolio which

supports employees wellness, increases profits before

your competitors do.

Peter is an expert on workplace change

and change management.

THE HOT ISSUE

THE EMPLOYEE

PHYSICAL

ENVIRONMENT

ENGAGEMENT

PERSONAL

RESILIENCE

UNDERSTANDING

SELF

PSYCHOLOGICAL

WELLBEING

PHYSICAL

WELLBEING

‘Wellness’:

Buzzword or

Reality?

CUSHMAN & WAKEFIELD

THE HOT ISSUE