Coworking Spaces are Redefining Wellness and Wellbeing at Work
Across Australia, sick leave costs small businesses an average of $20,000 every year. There are obvious benefits to keeping yourself and your workers healthy, allowing your team to remain on deck, engaged, and focused.
Luckily, the decentralization of the modern workforce is making it easier for the average worker to focus on their wellness and well-being. Add the incorporation of on-site gym features, architectural design, and a sense of community, and the benefits of becoming part of a coworking space is a trend worth jumping onto. This article delves into the reasons why moving away from cubicles and into coworking spaces encourages healthier choices, which in turn creates more productive workers.
The numbers don’t lie. Global research has demonstrated that when employee health and wellness is better managed, their engagement soared from 7 percent up to 55 percent.
Additionally, workers often report that their creativity and innovation rise from 20 percent to 72 percent when they are feeling healthy and happy, while workspaces that promote health and well-being enjoy a 25.3 percent reduction in workers taking sick leave overall.
The benefits of coworking spaces for businesses and teams go beyond flexibility and convenience. The inclusions within these spaces help create healthier, more engaged workers, something the modern workforce increasingly needs. With that in mind, here are some of the key ways coworking spaces are improving workplace wellbeing.
Unsurprisingly, one in five Australian workers eat lunch at their desk frequently. Due to the rushed nature of work, it usually also means unhealthier options full of processed foods, low levels of nutrition, and fatty fast food.
Luckily, coworking spaces are helping ease this challenge by providing in-house eating options that are as nutritious as they are convenient. As well as these alternatives (available inside the co-working space buildings themselves) their central locations usually mean healthy eating is easily accessible in the local vicinity as well.
And by collaborating and working with new people, there are networking and socializing options to be had by exploring these more nutritious eateries.
Coworking spaces make it easy to get to the gym, often by including facilities inside the same complex , like those at United Co.
In other cases, these workplaces will often provide discounts to local gyms to encourage workers to get there on breaks or before and after work. Many of these locations are also welcoming third-party companies into their buildings, offering a range of wellness services like yoga classes and massages. The result? A holistic approach to the way life meets work allows for improved health, productivity, and motivation.
Even simple things like adding bicycle lockup facilities encourage workers to ditch their cars and ride to work, helping them engage in a healthier approach.
While the introduction of gyms, fitness classes, healthy eating options, and other benefits are promoting improved well-being in coworking spaces, the buildings and spaces themselves are also significantly influential.
Grey partitions and bad fluorescent lighting used to be the trademark of the traditional office, but this is rapidly changing as building managers realize the benefits of architecture on well-being.
Recently, Bond University’s Assistant Professor of Organisational Behaviour Libby Sander said poor workplace design, low lighting, and high noise levels all led to elevated levels of stress and heart rates.
Most notably, the quality of air and lighting plays a huge role in the way our brains choose to function and apply productivity, she noted. When we’re unable to access these important design features, we’re left with a lack of poor oxygen levels, harmful gases from surrounding furniture, and toxic chemicals that come with the modern workplace. Usually, we fall blind to realizing how much these aspects are affecting our health and ability to work efficiently.
Some of the tips Sander recommends include staircases in the center of the building to promote exercise, plants to improve the air quality, and large windows that allow plenty of natural lighting to spill into the office space.
Across the globe, workplaces are starting to offer little corners of the building where workers can grab a quick nap during a busy day. While this may initially seem counter-productive, science is arguing otherwise.
The ‘power nap’ is an effective way to reboot and refresh your brain, decreasing stress and elevating focus. Pilots have long known the benefits of this gem, with recent evidence showing that a 26-minute kip allows them to record a 34 percent rise in performance and a 54 percent spike in alertness.
Additionally, modern athletes tend to grab a quick snooze before a big match to maximize their focus.
There is a golden rule, though: 30 minutes is about the average time you should limit your power nap too, as anything more or less can make you wake up in a groggy state, negating the benefits.
It gets better – coffee can help regulate how long you sleep. By drinking a coffee (espresso is best for a quick fix), you can duck off to sleep and the effects of the caffeine will kick in right about the time you need to be waking up. Win-win.
Not only do coworking spaces offer benefits on wellness across the board, but the shift away from the traditional work week further supports this as well.
Unfortunately, research has shown that Australia has fallen behind the rest of the Western world, in terms of time management, with most of us reporting that we are time-poor.
Three-quarters of SME owners work 50 to 80 hours a week with only 1 percent reporting that they were able to adhere to a 40-hour work week, which leads to stress and can ultimately result in burnout.
Coworking spaces can help you balance your workload easily due to the ongoing pressures of factors outside of work. Employees have access to the spaces around the clock and can design their work hours around other commitments they may have at home.
This is especially beneficial for those with young families and those who are juggling work and study, providing a space that removes the time stress of a traditional nine-to-five job.
These are just some of the benefits that coworking spaces offer SMEs, entrepreneurs, freelancers, students, and remote workers, with larger corporations now jumping on board the trend as well.
The flexibility is unmatched. No matter your line of work, you can opt for a private space (if it is quiet and seclusion that you crave) in a vibrant shared community, or in tandem with other like-minded people who can help you build your brand and your business.
Best of all, all of the essential corporate technologies you may need are available for you to use – from phones to high-speed wireless internet, printing and copying facilities, meeting rooms, and video conferencing.
Top it all off with plenty of wellness opportunities, and your life at work suddenly doesn’t seem so work-focused.
In conclusion, maintaining the health and well-being of your team isn’t just a perk, it’s a necessity. Coworking spaces offer a unique blend of flexibility, wellness-focused amenities, and a supportive community that promotes healthier lifestyles and, in turn, boosts productivity. By moving away from traditional cubicles and embracing a co-working environment, businesses can foster a culture that values both work and wellness, ultimately leading to more engaged and innovative employees.
Ready to make the shift to a healthier, more productive work environment? Explore the wellness-focused amenities and vibrant community at United Co. in Fitzroy, Melbourne. Our coworking spaces are designed to support your team’s well-being with on-site gyms, healthy eating options, and thoughtfully designed workspaces. Schedule a tour today to see how United Co. can help you create a healthier, happier workplace, or contact us to learn more about our shared workspace with flexible membership options. Let’s work together to create a coworking space where wellness meets productivity!
425 Smith St. Fitzroy VIC 3065 Melbourne, Australia Wurundjeri Country