WELNIS introduces us to the concept of human sustainability in the workplace, and explains just what workplace elements aid our mental and physical wellbeing.
March 31st, 2016
Did you know, we spend more time sitting during the day than we do sleeping? We average 9.3 hours a day of being stagnant and placing our spines in positions that have the potential to cause irreparable damage to our backs. It is due to this that we see a rise in popularity for sit-stand desks, and a growth in conscientious planning of human sustainable workspaces.
Much like the idea of being environmentally sustainable, the core concepts behind human sustainable environments take a holistic approach to the mental and physical wellbeing of users of a variety of spaces, with an aim to also improve productivity. Given that a large portion of time is spent in the workplace, it is crucial to consider the ways the space can have both a positive and negative impact on health and wellbeing.
“The boundaries between living, working, communicating, and socialising are blending into one another,” says WELNIS’ Nigel Hobbs, who is continually pushing the envelope on technologies and techniques to improve the workspace. “For me, the number one thing in any organisation is cementing wellness into people’s behaviours and way of living.”
Of course, the idea of human sustainability is not merely restricted to sitting down, or the use of standing desks. To Hobbs there are 10 key interior elements that can positively benefit wellness. These include:
Some of these might seem obvious, but others such as acoustics also require more in-depth consideration, especially in relation to the popularity of open-plan workspaces. Hobbs contextualises this for us: “Every organisation will have a mixture of extroverted and introverted individuals – the latter tend to get really uncomfortable if they’re hanging out with the former too much.”
As human sustainability continues to be embraced as a vital component of the work environment, more technological advances and intelligent designs are called for. Happier and healthier employees are ultimately more productive and the way in which employees interact with their workspaces is crucial to consider when planning practical and enjoyable environments. At its core, human sustainability is a way of thinking, and intelligently creating an exterior environment that reflects and encourages a healthy interior environment.
WELNIS
welnis.com.au
A searchable and comprehensive guide for specifying leading products and their suppliers
Keep up to date with the latest and greatest from our industry BFF's!
Marylou Cafaro’s first trendjournal sparked a powerful, decades-long movement in joinery designs and finishes which eventually saw Australian design develop its independence and characteristic style. Now, polytec offers all-new insights into the future of Australian design.
The Sub-Zero Wolf showrooms in Sydney and Melbourne provide a creative experience unlike any other. Now showcasing all-new product ranges, the showrooms present a unique perspective on the future of kitchens, homes and lifestyles.
Savage Design’s approach to understanding the relationship between design concepts and user experience, particularly with metalwork, transcends traditional boundaries, blending timeless craftsmanship with digital innovation to create enduring elegance in objects, furnishings, and door furniture.
Channelling the enchanting ambience of the Caffè Greco in Rome, Budapest’s historic Gerbeaud, and Grossi Florentino in Melbourne, Ross Didier’s new collection evokes the designer’s affinity for café experience, while delivering refined seating for contemporary hospitality interiors.
For KOHLER, experience and expression makes the perfect combination for timeless and impactful design. Making its Australian debut next month, KOHLER Design Forum examines humanity’s relationship and mindset in immersive, sensorial and experiential spaces for the 21st century.
The Australian Design Alliance, a strategic partnership of Australia’s leading design bodies across a range of disciplines, launched at the Sydney Opera House
One of St Kilda Road’s oldest mansions is the site of a new development set to bring old world hotel-style living to inner city Melbourne.
Indesign and DQ hosted a soirée at Milan’s NooN cocktail bar and restaurant on Wednesday 18 April. At the halfway point of the world’s biggest design fair, the evening was a chance for design industry folk to relax, mingle, chat about what they’d seen so far – and prepare for another two days of festivities ahead.
The internet never sleeps! Here's the stuff you might have missed
Set to undergo a $60-million revitalisation, the National Gallery of Australia has announced the launch of a landscape design competition for its Sculpture Garden.
Meet a design studio that takes the business of design to another level. Zenith’s in-house Design Studio makes all the difference and let’s find out why.
The latest print magazine is about to arrive! With Guest Editor Adam Haddow in the hot seat, we are delighted to share some of the highlights.
Savage Design’s approach to understanding the relationship between design concepts and user experience, particularly with metalwork, transcends traditional boundaries, blending timeless craftsmanship with digital innovation to create enduring elegance in objects, furnishings, and door furniture.