The Wellness Effect: Leveraging new trends in workplace wellness to reshape bottom-line results

By the same token, employers increasingly understand that a satisfied workforce can improve productivity and culture, thereby enabling retention and attraction in a tight market. Further up the chain, property owners and investors also recognise the opportunity for workplaces and their amenities to respond to this need. 

It’s clear that workplace wellbeing now affects the bottom-line for several stakeholders – from employees, to property owners, to investors. In addition, there are many ways to deliver value based on the nuances of an organisation and its asset. As a starting point, below are three trends that we see gaining traction in Australia and globally.

WELL Certification – making the intangible, tangible

Unlike measuring the environmental sustainability performance of a building – tracking the impact of wellbeing and social sustainability initiatives is harder to quantify – and yet of growing importance, particularly in the eyes of investors. Filling this gap is the WELL Building Standard (WELL), by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). Though it was launched in 2014, its uptake has ballooned sixfold since early 2020. It has also seen approximately 700,000 square metres of newly registered projects occurring per day as of late 2021, according to Jack Noonan, Vice President Asia Pacific of IWBI. This clearly shows the value property owners place on wellbeing to remain competitive. 

“There is a growing global awareness that by creating healthier buildings and a culture that prioritises human wellbeing, employers will benefit from a healthier more productive workforce and building owners and property investors gain a higher-valued asset.”

The rise of buildings and places that help me thrive, e-book, The Fifth Estate and International WELL Building Institute

From a brand perspective, the wellbeing proposition is deeply embodied in the RISE identity which was designed by Hundredweight. In particular, the RISE personality is able to flex from calming ambience to motivational and inspiring. Crucial to workplace equity and inclusion – and in turn wellbeing, the brand experience appeals equally to both genders. Doing so also supports the ‘social’ metrics in Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) imperatives.

A particular example is SalesForce’s ‘Trailblazer Ranch’ a 30-hectare property in Scotts Valley, California. The site is a response to employees wanting ‘ways to connect’ after years of separation. Salesforce workers can use the property for onboarding, training, skills building and talent development. In true retreat-style, employees will also have access to sleeping pods, guided nature walks, yoga sessions, garden tours, group cooking classes, art journaling and meditation. Here we can see a ‘reverse bleisure’ trend, where rather than employees pairing leisure with business travel – employers are taking the lead and bringing leisure to a new typology of workplace.

The strategic naming of the site is also notable. From a brand perspective, a name such as ‘Trailblazer Ranch’ exemplifies the culture that Salesforce aspires to embody. In addition, it creates a sense of magnetism and inspiration that draws employees to the space – thus fulfilling the intention to connect over work and play activities. 

Engaging with tenants to co-create programming which supports their social values is also an option. Finally, it’s important to remember that some of the most enriching wellness experiences can be had beyond the building. Thus, imaginative partnerships or leveraging other assets within the portfolio are other ways to deliver on wellbeing.