Page 24
— Office Properties Quarterly — March 2016
T
he average workday for U.S.
full-time employees is now
8.7 hours, with nearly 75
percent of that time spent
at their place of employ-
ment. That means that work and
work-related activities take up the
same approximate time as a person
sleeps, eats and drinks each day.
Therefore, for a majority of workers,
their workplace has a real impact on
the choices they make to maintain a
particular lifestyle.
Because corporate real estate pro-
fessionals often are responsible for
designing, delivering and maintain-
ing these spaces and the programs
and services offered at many organi-
zations, there is an opportunity for
CRE professionals to make a positive
impact. To be successful, organiza-
tions need to think strategically and
fully understand the implications of
executing these initiatives in com-
prehensive and cost-effective ways.
Wellness programs will be a man-
date for many organizations as the
competition for talent continues to
intensify, according to a research
report from CoreNet Global, “How
Well Do You KnowWellness?”
As it pertains to corporate real
estate, wellness is tied to the work-
place in the built environment
and associated physical amenities
through many factors including,
but not limited to, air quality, clean-
ing materials, healthy food options,
lighting, physical space design and
dedicated physical activity spaces.
Other elements involve environ-
mental and organizational culture,
such as preventative health moni-
toring and treat-
ment. Fostering an
engaged workforce
through encourage-
ment and support
– personally and
professionally – is
an essential part of
a holistic approach
that creates a pro-
ductive and ful-
filled workforce.
Real world
examples cited in
the report provide
evidence that well-
ness programs pos-
itively impact the corporate bottom
line. After implementing a wellness
program in the mid-1990s, Johnson
& Johnson estimated that wellness
programs saved the company $250
million on health care costs over a
decade, with a return of $2.71 for
every dollar spent between 2002 and
2008.
Effective wellness programs
increase morale, reduce health care
costs and increase productivity –
through decreasing both absentee-
ism and “presenteeism,” defined as
a situation when employees show
up for work but underperform once
they are there due to illness or
stress.
Additional evidence is building
that wellness and the physical work-
space – combined with the services
and programs offered – are increas-
ingly connected. One organization
exploring the relationship between
workspaces and people is Delos,
which is bridging this gap through
its WELL Building Standard. The
standard focuses on human health
and wellness for structures and
sets performance requirements in
seven categories that are relevant to
occupant health in the built environ-
ment: air, water, nourishment, light,
fitness, comfort and mind. The first
such commercial structure to be cer-
tified as a WELL building is CBRE’s
corporate headquarters in Los Ange-
les.
The building has more than 120
“well” features ranging from lighting
designed to reflect natural circadian
rhythms, hydration stations, live
plants, exercise opportunities, sit/
stand workstations and desks built
on treadmills.
But even the most well-designed,
healthiest workplace can still be
a toxic place to work if it is man-
aged poorly. Ineffective programs
can simply raise costs without a
noted improvement in the health or
well-being of employees. Organiza-
tions such as the Society for Human
Resource Management Foundation
are leading the way by promoting
employee well-being and strategies
to improve the health of employees
through practical tools, techniques
and resources. A differentiator in
this approach is recognizing well-
ness programs as a strategic objec-
tive for the business, not simply an
added benefit to employees.
In real estate terms, many associ-
ated wellness with the “green move-
ment” of over a decade ago, asking
whether wellness a long-term trend
that will become an accepted and
expected element of the corporate
real estate landscape. We believe it’s
real. Wellness has moved beyond a
concept and fad and into the con-
sciousness of our everyday vocabu-
lary.
A CoreNet Global survey of its
membership in 2015 found that 80
percent of respondents believe cor-
porate wellness initiatives represent
a “significant trend,” while only 20
percent indicated they were a “pass-
ing fad.”
Further, the survey found that 62
percent of the participants reported
that their companies had instituted
wellness initiatives in the last six
months. Another CoreNet Global/
Johnson Controls study in 2014
found that an overwhelming 97 per-
cent believe a strategy on health,
wellness and well-being brings
additional value for the business.
This study found that increased pro-
ductivity, employee satisfaction and
engagement are the main business
values for wellness.
In the business universe, corporate
real estate is uniquely positioned
due to its role in providing facili-
ties and designing and delivering
the workspaces that nurture and
promote health and well-being.
Understanding the role and respon-
sibility that employers have for their
employees’ overall wellness is the
first step in creating a synergetic
relationship that builds trust and
loyalty. That is why now is the time
for CRE professionals to pick up this
torch and light the way for their
organizations.
s
Craig Van Pelt
Director of
knowledge
community
research, CoreNet
Global
Workplace Trends
