Why happy and healthy workspaces matter

People spend more time at work than at home

We spend between 8 and 10 hours a day with our colleagues – more time than we actually spend with our family. Therefore, we should give people the opportunity to create the same environment they live and work in at home and offer them the chance to choose:

• Level of privacy
• Focus
• Concentration

The modern open floor offices foster collaboration and networking between colleagues but, at the same time, pose some acoustic challenges. Sound affects our moods, well-being and even productivity, for better or for worse, and this is where acoustics and the other natural elements, play an important role in the workspace.

Poor acoustics interfere with daily work

In open floor offices, complaints about background noise, bad acoustics and lack of privacy are some of the most recurrent issues reported to facility managers.

A study by the Center for Built Environment at the University of California Berkeley reveals that more than 50% of employees think that poor acoustics interfere with their daily work and ability to get their job done. Another UK study reports that 3 in 10 employees frequently lose their concentration due to chatter and buzz in the workspace.

The evidence is real and manifold and shouldn’t be ignored. Let’s be honest, dissatisfied people aren’t happy, and remember, there’s a correlation between happy employees and a great bottom line. Part of the equation to happy, healthy workspaces involves finding the right noise-reducing solution which can help prevent tiredness and stress, resulting in increased productivity and better overall well-being.

Air, light, material and sound are essential

We’re closely related to our ancestors: the cavemen. They benefited from three natural elements: air, light, sound and material. This is our heritage. It is only in the last fifty years that we have been exposed to new and non-familiar sounds. Looking at the way we work today, we’re exposed to artificial light, artificial sounds like ringtones or air-conditioning, and artificial air that are difficult to detect and process by our brain.

Unconsciously, these sounds generate irritability, headaches and tire us out. Here, it is our inner caveman that tries to protect us from potential threat or danger, since these sounds are unexpected.In that way, air, light, material and sound are essential catalyst elements when it comes to creating a happy and healthy workspace and, therefore, crucial to prioritize when designing a space.

Take a tour through our soundproof light room to experience the power of our noise-reducing lighting solutions!

To wrap it up, happiness is a choice you make. It is the consequence of being mentally and physically happy. That’s why we strive to contribute to employees’ well-being with our mission for creating happy and healthy workspaces.

Browse through some of the recent projects around the world to discover more happy, healthy workspaces.