1. Rider Levett Bucknall | WELLBEING – 2015
RLB ROUNDTABLE
WELLBEING IN COMMERCIAL SPACE
The link between commercial space and wellbeing is an increasingly important topic in
our industry.
Organisations such as the World Green Building Council and the British Council for
Offices cite the numerous benefits occupiers and asset owners achieve by considering
the ‘softer side’ of workplace design.
But what does it all really mean and what are the benefits? We brought together a
roundtable of experts to share their views.
“WHO, RATHER THAN WHAT, IS
THE BUILDING FOR?”
Developers are increasingly
promoting flexible space, suitable for
a range of users. Speaking about the
trend, Gordon Carey from Landid,
said: “Occupiers want greater choice
with space suitable for many styles of
working, complemented by facilities
linked to staff wellbeing.
"There is a war on talent and
occupiers want differentiators to
show that they have considered the
welfare of their staff.”
A number of important
considerations were discussed
including; proximity to transport
hubs, social and retail offer (both
for lunch time and after work) and
the ability for staff to choose and
influence their working environment,
from their seat in the office to
their personalised preferences for
temperature and lighting.
“There is a fundamental shift in the
market taking place”, added Piers
Nickalls from Savills. “The challenge
is to create the right working
environment for a variety of people.
"Corporates are seeking ways to
support staff who want to work in
cities but want access to social and
community facilities
such as shops, bars and
gyms.”
A PROBLEM SHARED?
A key trend discussed
was a move towards
co-working locations,
for example corporates
sharing space with
start-ups and small, dynamic
businesses, to improve the “vibe
of a place”. Fast growing media
companies with fewer than 30
employees were seen as a driving
force in this area as their businesses
are often more changeable.
This shared approach means that
facilities can be more effectively
planned, funded and utilised, with
elements such as communal dining
areas, rooftop gardens and large
atriums all options to improve the
working environment.
The group agreed that making these
shared areas and office layouts
“work harder” could go some way
to alleviating some of the cost
implications, with multi-functional,
flexible space enabling staff to
choose the best working environment
to suit their current tasks.
However, there was an issue which
Jason Martin, at Hawkins Brown,
identified: “When designing space
there seems to be a generational
divide. The younger staff in particular
want somewhere in the office to call
home – where they can sit each day,
close to their team.
"The market seems to be calling for
a hybrid between hot-desking and
fixed desking, to cater
for everyone’s needs.”
Helen Berresford,
Sheppard Robson
ID, added that the
term hot-desking has
negative connotations
because it involves
reducing space: “We
should be selling flexibility, choice
and ownership over where people sit
in their office which helps with their
sense of belonging – which is key to
wellbeing”
These items come at a price, but
participants felt that the ‘happiness
factor’ leads to positive gains for
companies, including reduced staff
turnover and absenteeism, and a
positive selling point for potential
recruits.
WELLBEING IMPROVES HEALTH
AND HAPPINESS, DUE TO REDUCED
STRESS AND LOWER RATES OF
ILLNESS
The staff welfare debate will be
familiar to many and it is an area that
is regularly changing. Statistics in
the last decade show that physical
wellbeing was the biggest workplace
issue with a high number of absences
due to neck and back pain and
repetitive strain injury.
As environments have been adapted
to cope with these problems, a new
issue has arisen; mental illness. The
reason for this is linked closely to
one of the factors that plays a role
in shaping these more responsive,
dynamic workplaces; technology.
“TECHNOLOGY MEANS WE ARE
ALWAYS ON AND WE HAVE
MOVED BEYOND '9 TO 5'. HOW DO
WE ENCOURAGE EMPLOYEES TO
SWITCH OFF?”
Housing availability and costs.
Childcare arrangements. Leisure
facilities. Schools. Access to public
transport. The wellbeing agenda is
as much about how companies can
"STUDIES SHOW
THAT THOSE
WORKING A 55HR
WEEK HAVE A
33% HIGHER RISK
OF SUFFERING
A STROKE THAN
THOSE ON A 35-40
HOUR WEEK"

2. Rider Levett Bucknall | WELLBEING – 2015
influence or choose locations that
consider these challenges that their
staff face.
Matt Brooker, RLB,
suggested that
buildings must be
designed so that they
are accessible at all
times to accommodate
the lifestyles of staff: “People may
want to shift their working day so
that they can commute at different
times to avoid traffic, have time out
of the office, eat at different times,
come in at weekends to finish a
project; whatever is necessary.
“Having space that responds to
these needs, with things like access,
heating and lighting considered, will
be increasingly important as the lines
between work and lifestyle become
more blurred. Unfortunately, these
can be at odds with green design.
"It then becomes an operational issue;
does everyone know how to utilise
the workplace effectively, and can
people balance their own demands
without becoming stressed?”
“AS DESIGNERS, SHOULDN’T WE
DO THIS ANYWAY?”
Many overseas examples were
discussed with the US seen as a
leader in this area.
Helen explained that there was some
cynicism that this was because firms
are trying to counter insurance
premiums and healthcare costs
by keeping staff well. With the UK
having the NHS in place this is not an
issue, so to fully adopt this approach
business benefits would have to be
properly described
before people invested
in these buildings.
Designers must also
play a leading role in
ensuring that considering wellbeing
becomes best practice.
The Edge, located in Amsterdam
and home to Deloitte’s corporate
headquarters, was cited as a leading
example of what can be achieved.
The building achieved the highest
ever BREEAM score (98.36%), and
the group discussed the impact it has
had on the market.
Karl Cullen, Champman BDSP,
explained: “The market is definitely
more aware of the wellbeing agenda.
There is a growing depth of research
and information but there are still
two main considerations. How are
investment decisions made and what
facts are they based on?”
MADE TO MEASURE
For the wellbeing agenda to be
successful participants agreed that it
needed to be defined and packaged
in an easily understandable way.
Long term targets and legislation
could be a useful driver, as per the
emissions target, but the worry was
that this would eventually lead to a
basic approach where people do the
minimum to comply.
As wellbeing is in the eye of the
beholder, and the design principles
are focused on bespoke, responsive
spaces, regulation was seen as the
wrong stance for the industry to take.
Instead, Piers argued that it is
companies that take the lead and
deliver these buildings that will see
the benefits and change people’s
mindset: “Occupiers vote with their
feet and it is the companies that
promote wellbeing that will make the
difference and prove what actually
works.
“When CEOs set their business up in
this way and successfully improve the
wellbeing of their workforce they will
be seen as trendsetters.
"That kind of profile will be extremely
valuable to their brand and lead them
to be viewed as employers of choice,
attracting the best and brightest to
their organisation.”
This roundtable was chaired by Anthony
Chudleigh, RLB with contributions from:
Helen Berresford, Partner (Sheppard
Robson ID)
Matthew Brooker, Partner (RLB)
Gordon Carey, Director (Landid)
Karl Cullen, Associate Director (Chapman
BDSP)
Jason Martin, Partner (Hawkins Brown)
Piers Nickalls, Director of International
Tenant Representation (Savills)
"SWEDEN HAS
ADOPTED AN
OPTIONAL SIX HOUR
WORKING DAY"