In the fast-paced business landscape, employees often endure immense pressure. Spending long strenuous hours on compact work desks can lead to work fatigue and disinterest. As a result, employees might start showing signs of ineptitude and inability to comprehend information, lack critical thinking, and fail to contribute to strategic decision-making. In the competitive business environment, the consequences of these are grave.
When the motivation to perform depletes, absenteeism and attrition follow soon after. Beyond perks or material incentives, what can companies do to ensure that employees remain inspired and motivated during their tenure?
A Green Workplace Can Serve as an Enabler
It is no news that going green is the need of the hour. We must adopt eco-friendly practices to restore the natural ways of the earth. And while the greater objective is to utilise resources efficiently without harming the planet, making green choices can also contribute immensely to attaining our personal and professional goals. But what qualifies as a green workplace?
The World Green Building Council describes a ‘green’ building as one that “in its design, construction or operation, reduces or eliminates negative impacts, and can create positive impacts, on our climate and natural environment.” Bringing the concept to workplace design, a green office is one that integrates the philosophy in its operational structure and achieves the three dimensions of sustainable development — economic, social, and environmental — in doing so.
Sustainable strategies implemented in green workplaces optimise resource utilisation, reduce maintenance costs, improve brand image, and increase shareholder value — which translates into business profitability in the long run.
The benefits from the lens of the workforce are multifold as well. A study on the effect of a green workplace on employee efficiency found that a biophilic environment can increase productivity by up to 8%. According to a growing body of studies, natural imagery and elements like flowers, light, colours, and shapes, among other biological factors, have visible and quantitative benefits for both firms and their employees. Proximity to nature promotes emotional resilience, increases mindfulness, and improves the ability to combat stress — factors crucial for productivity in the professional sphere of life.
Green Workspaces Boost Cognitive Skills
Working professionals have to constantly deliver par excellence, with new challenges emerging every second day. The continuous workload often results in burnout.
A green workspace can help prevent the above from happening, boost cognitive thinking, and restore involuntary attention deficit in professionals. A study on green buildings substantiates that occupiers of such spaces attained 26% higher cognitive function scores on various scales than those in conventional work environments.
A biophilic work atmosphere with improved indoor air quality, sufficient natural light, and eco-friendly amenities encourages action. Employees working in green offices have been known to experience lower mood aggravation and stress levels and demonstrate lesser physical ailments like headaches, eye irritation, and drowsiness. These factors culminate in higher levels of delayed gratification and better quality work.
Source: https://thecogfxstudy.com/
Green Offices and Employee Willingness to Work
Employees’ willingness to work is directly related to their holistic well-being and growth. While financial health still factors in, it isn’t the only area of motivation for working professionals anymore. The future of work lies in the ability to provide employees with an environment that nurtures them emotionally, mentally, physically, and socially. A green workspace helps you give your employees a healthy atmosphere where they feel calm and comfortable, enhancing their performance.
A global survey by IBM Institute for Business Value discovered that 71% of employees find environmentally responsible companies more attractive. A green work environment will encourage your employees to participate in sustainable practices and inculcate a sense of achievement in them. In turn, they will feel connected to your organisation beyond the capacities of their job roles. That connection will foster efficiency, productivity, and retention at work.
Social Implications of Green Workspaces
Green spaces and biodiversity in the workplace allow employees an outlet to refresh themselves. Natural ecosystems in corporate set-ups enable employees to engage with one another in an atmosphere outside their workstations while being at work. Such interactions improve interpersonal relationships, develop a sense of belonging, and foster community building.
Max Estates Green Offices – The Future of Workplace
At Max Estates, our inspiration comes from humans’ affinity with nature. Assimilating nature as an active participant in the workplace allows for periods of relaxation and escape from the hustle of the workday. The ~11,000 sq. ft. “Central Forest Courtyard” at Max Square extends this core idea of work-life balance by allowing occupiers to interact with nature even as they work indoors, lowering stress and increasing employee satisfaction.
Artistic rendition of Max Square
At Max Estates, we abide by our unique philosophy of WorkWell. Based on the WELL standard, the WorkWell philosophy envisions an environment that enhances and enriches work and life, allowing one to truly ‘WorkWell’. We ensure we take care of our tenants’ physical and emotional well-being by providing the highest level of air and water filtration, sanitation, nutrition, and comfort, and enabling community engagement and recreation through our carefully curated amenities and events.
The elements of WorkWell include air, water, nature, and recreation, among others, and we ensured that attention is paid to this right from the inception, during the design process.
Proper ventilation, CO2 levels monitoring, and filtration technology ensure optimal indoor air quality. Water harvesting and recycling strategies enable us to provide safe and clean water while lowering our impact on the environment. The building architecture allows natural light to come in throughout the day, reducing artificial light usage while promoting alertness and energy in the workplace. And the biophilic design creates a physical environment that optimises cognitive and emotional health.
Max Estates believes in taking care of the softer elements that enhance the well-being of both our tenants and our employees. We believe that the role and purpose of an office is no longer restricted to just being a space where employees can sit and work, but rather a holistic ecosystem that takes care of every aspect of their daily well-being.
For your team, choose the future of work — choose to WorkWell.
