HEALTHY BUSINESS - space around

WHY WELL?

WHY START THINKING

ABOUT THE CULTURE

OF HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

FOR BUSINESSES AND FOR THE BUILDINGS THEY OCCUPY?

THE SPACE YOU BUILD HAS THE POWER TO MAKE YOU AND OTHER PEOPLE FEEL BETTER - MENTALLY AND PHYSICALLY! WHEN YOU SHAPE IT, YOU CAN DO IT CONSCIOUSLY WITH WELL-BEING IN MIND (AND WORK TOWARDS BETTER SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY AND YOUR ESG GOALS)

Reasons to think about health and well-being in business: (community, consumers, employee, environment)

1. Improve the health status and productivity of current and future workers

2. Control costs: direct -health insurance, indirect- presenteeism, absenteeism, disability

3. Help recruit and retain workers, become the destination for top talents

4 Increase consumer buying power for their products

5. Strengthen their brand and recognition

6. Generate civic pride, sense of purpose and responsibility

7. Build community relations

5 dimensions of health and well-being:

PHYSICAL

MENTAL

EMOTIONAL

Five dimensions of health

QUALITY OF LIFE

REACHING YOUR FULL POTENTIAL

Why do buildings matter and what diseases and conditions they can cause:

Sick building syndrome

Breast cancer

Lung cancer

Colon cancer

Leukemia

Heart disease

Hyper- tension

Stroke

Back pain

Musculo- skeletal diseases

Weight gain

Develop-

mental problems

Eye and skin irritation

Kidney problems

Diarrhoea

Nausea

Cramps

Immune system dysfunction

Asthma, allergies

Headaches

Endocrine system dysfunction

Reprodu- ctive problems

Problems with learning and memory

Behavioural problems

• We spend 90% of our time indoors (Well). It means 36 years indoors for a 40 year old person,

• An average person spends 15,600 hours at school during childhood and adolescence,

• 6-9% of all deaths worldwide are caused by the lack of physical activity (Well),

• 31 mln Americans suffer from lower back pain (Well),

• Air pollution causes approx. 50000 premature deaths yearly in the US (Well),

• Mental health related problems (including stress and burnout) cost Swedish society 80 billion Swedish Kronas and entrepreneurs 18,5 billion Swedish Kronas every year (2018, Svenskt Näringsliv),

• 21% of all Americans have experienced a mood disorder (Well),

• Major depression affects more than 16 mln Americans yearly (ADAA),

• 2% of employees in the US engage weekly in presenteeism (working while sick or with reduced cognitive capability), (American Time Use Survey),

By investing in a healthy building you can:

• Raise yours and others’ productivity by 38% *

• Raise rent in your building by 21% **

• Double the cognitive performance ***

* University if Exeter

** CBRE

*** COGfx study, Harvard

And also:

• Raise your’s and others’ creativity, safety, learning speed, task solution, recovery speed from stress and overall well-being,

• Raise rent levels and rent premium while increasing the rental rate,

• Increase the value of the property,

• Improve the health and productivity of current and future users of the building,

• Streamline costs for employees: directly - e.g. health insurance, indirectly present, absence, disability,

• Have an argument when recruiting and to retain employees, become a destination for top talent,

• Strengthen the brand,

• Create civic pride, a sense of purpose and responsibility,

• Build relationships in society,

Wondering what presenteeism is?

Presenteeism: how much diseases and health conditions adversely impact productivity of those who show up at work.

Why is employee health so important?

For a typical business, 90 % of all operating costs are employee-related costs (you know best yourself how much it is for your company)

Easy exercise:

Step 1: Think about the health and well-being footprints and handprints your business or your space have on community, employees, consumers and environment:

Syllabus:

Footprints: adverse impact businesses and buildings have on their employees, consumers, employees and environment

Handprints: beneficial impact businesses and buildings have on their employees, consumers, employees and environment

Root causes: factors which cause a negative outcome which should be eliminated or ameliorated

Step 2: Then, think about what the root causes are and how you can eliminate/ ameliorate them by focusing on health and well-being for community, consumers, employees or environment.