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A clear trend in building design is a heightened demand for wellness-focused features, with employee satisfaction at the forefront of decision making. With a survey showing that 61% of employees consider wellness benefits a major factor in staying with a company, it’s clear that a comfortable working environment has become critical to attracting and retaining talent.
While to some wellness-focused design may seem at odds with modular buildings, which can be misconstrued as just grey boxes with few windows and an uncomfortable interior, at Premier Modular we pride ourselves on providing high quality, functional and aesthetic internal environments. We centre employee experience and ensure that the building is not just practical but pleasant.
As part of Stress Awareness Month, we wanted to share our top tips for reducing employee stress through clever design:
Nothing raises stress levels more than a space that isn’t fit for purpose. It can make it difficult for employees to do their jobs, cause resentment and even appear as if the company doesn’t care about its employees or even understand what they need. Of course, business needs change over time and changing a building’s design is often a slow, difficult and expensive process.
Flexibility is one of modular’s biggest strengths. Not only is the interior entirely customisable, but it doesn’t take that much time or money to alter, reducing the amount of disruption caused. Whether a permanent structure, or part of our rental fleet, we pride ourselves on having a high quality internal environment, with larger span modules giving more flexibility and higher ceiling heights for a sense of space and better air circulation.
Modular buildings are also designed for scalability. This means if extra space is needed the building can quickly and easily be extended without a huge cost attached. On the other hand, space doesn’t have to be wasted, and temporary modules can be disassembled and redeployed – a cost-effective solution that promotes a sustainable, circular economy.
When it comes to making a pleasant environment, it’s not just what’s on the inside that counts. First impressions matter – not just to current and prospective employees, but also clients and stakeholders. It’s important that the exterior is both high quality and aesthetically pleasing to ensure professionalism is instilled from the moment someone sees your building.
When choosing an exterior, make sure its reflective of your brand. A recent example of where we’ve helped deliver this is Leeds City College Printworks Campus. The client was keen to preserve the aesthetic of the original printworks so we opted to use tarnished-looking, corten steel sheet cladding to give an industrial look that would fit a modern campus building and act as an homage to the building’s heritage.
Natural light is essential for a stress-free environment, with studies showing it increases productivity, reduces eye strain, and boosts mood. Incorporating ample, large windows is one of the best things you can do for employee comfort and productivity.
Consider including skylights, clerestory windows or floor-to-ceiling windows to increase the amount of natural light. If these aren’t suitable, another way to boost the amount of natural light is opting for reflective surfaces. Be careful with this however, as it can cause glare which may be off-putting or uncomfortable – ensure it’s utilised in places where it won’t be a distraction.
A noisy environment can be uncomfortable for employees, making them unproductive as a result. Sound proofing, acoustic wall panels and sound dampening can be incorporated to improve acoustic performance and minimise echoes.
Most workplaces are now open plan to foster collaboration and communication. While this is a positive improvement, it can be distracting for those that have a task requiring deep focus or those who need space for a private meeting. Remember to include meeting rooms and quieter areas so that employees can work where they will be the most productive.
Access to greenery has been scientifically proven to lower cortisol levels, the hormone that can cause stress and feelings of anxiety. Incorporating an outdoor area for employees to take breaks in can make a huge difference to productivity and satisfaction.
A great example of doing this in a building with a limited footprint is our project at The Paper Yard, a laboratory which was built in amongst existing structures and utilised innovative green roofing to create an accessible outdoor space. This type of roofing also has a host of other benefits including, retaining heat in the winter and reducing the need for air conditioning in the summer, making it more thermally efficient. This lowers operational costs and bolsters the building’s sustainability credentials as a result.
Want to explore employee-focused design? Contact our team today.
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