Wellness Shines Light On The Offices Of The Future

Over the coming years Australia is expected to have quickest adoption, per capita, of wellness and WELL Certification globally.

That was just one of the insights at CBRE Australia’s latest Real Advantage Series event, which was staged in Sydney to address the topic of wellness.

The event highlighted how wellness is transforming the world’s largest asset class, real estate, to give back to the people who live and work within it.

The audience at the Real Advantage Series event heard from CBRE’s Director of Workplace Strategy, Matt Strudwick, and keynote speaker Paul Scialla, Founder and CEO of Delos and Founder of the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI).

Mr Strudwick noted that real estate is increasingly becoming a part of the advantage businesses can bring to their employees, rather than simply an asset they hold.

“In the APAC region amenities and indoor environmental quality are some of the leading factors individuals are prioritising when choosing an organisation to work for - with 55% of employees identifying amenities as the most important factor in a workplace.”

“The increasing weight businesses and individuals are placing upon wellbeing is further driving commercial landlords to view wellness as an opportunity to provide real value to tenants and enable them to gain a competitive advantage. Through applying the principles of the WELL Standard, such as water and air quality, amenity and services, landlords offer tenants an opportunity to attract and retain great talent.”

CBRE has sought to lead the wellness movement through various initiatives, including establishing CBRE’s global head office in Los Angeles as the first WELL certified office and forming a strategic alliance with DELOS to transform indoor environments into spaces that help nurture, sustain and promote human health and well-being.

As a continuation of its leadership in the wellness space, CBRE will pursue WELL Certification for at least 100 buildings, sites or offices managed by or associated with CBRE worldwide and will professionally accredit 50 CBRE employees through the WELL Accredited Professional (WELL AP) program.
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At CBRE’s Real Advantage Series event, Mr Scialla noted that 90% of our time is spent indoors, therefore the environments in which we live and work need to be designed to have the most positive impact on our health.

“With evidence-based medical and scientific research as the backdrop, the WELL Building Standard™ identifies seven concepts – air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort and mind – as the key pillars that can impact the physical and mental health of the individuals who operate within the built environment.”

Mr Scialla highlighted the impact lighting can play on our overall wellbeing. This factor plays more than just a visual component, with lighting affecting our bodies’ circadian rhythms.

“Light can impact everything from the way we digest food to our sleep patterns. We have the opportunity to harness this knowledge to not only increase productivity of employees but also to enhance their overall quality of life.”

People who work in WELL Certified environments have expressed the positive impacts their WELL offices have on productivity and performance. In the CBRE Corporate Headquarters, employees responded with the following survey feedback: 83% feel more productive and 92% said the new space has created a positive effect on their health and wellbeing.

The positive impacts of healthy workspaces may not end at the office. As awareness of wellness increases, Scialla noted that individuals who work within CBRE’s WELL Certified office have shared that they are increasingly adopting healthy behaviours in their personal lives.