By Mercedes Quintanilla
With increased digital connectivity through access to emails, social networks and the other distractions that are common in office environments such as conversations with other people, phones, machines and even the sound of traffic it is almost impossible to concentrate on the task in question.
If we consider that 90% of the operating costs of a typical company are related to personnel (salaries and benefits) as opposed to 10% in the physical environment. It is worth considering how the office environment can be designed to help workers focus on the task at hand and reduce the risk of increasing stress levels that will affect both people’s health and long-term health. to their capacity for work and production. It affects the triple bottom line, known in English as the Triple Bottom Line, that is, it affects the accounting framework of companies in three parts: social, environmental and financial.
Excessive or prolonged stress can lead to illness, depression, physical and emotional exhaustion. It can affect behaviors and factors that increase your risk for heart disease (high blood pressure, cholesterol levels, smoking, physical inactivity, and overeating). In fact, the World Health Organization believes that stress-related heart disease and depression will become the leading causes of illness for the future.
So the more reasonable question at this point is how do we create work environments that encourage mindfulness and help employees stay focused on the task at hand? The answer is Biophilic design, because it offers the opportunity to foster the sensory awareness necessary for conscious states by stimulating the following senses:
Smell.
The introduction of plants can improve air quality and increase the oxygen level, but it also emits a subtle aroma, for example the lemon tree that helps to refresh the environment and the lily as it is a great ally to filter the air and eliminate agents. pollutants.
View.
By increasing the amount of natural light and creating views of nature, employees may be more aware of the present moment, whether it is at that time of day or of the year.
Touch.
Range of natural surface textures, for example the use of wood in furniture provides haptic (ie touching) stimulation. Floors that imitate the different textures in natural environments and organic surfaces, which invite us to walk through them. There are many ways to achieve this stimulation, whether on walls or floors, in this case, referring to floors, for example the Human Nature and Urban Retreat collection of rugs by Interface, the Perennial and Pressed collection by Parcraft, and the Canopy collection. from Shaw are excellent products to achieve these effects.
Hearing.
Sound masking can be introduced when it is impossible to block out extraneous noise as a method of stress reduction. Recorded sounds, such as flowing water, can effectively mask disturbing noises, such as traffic or other people’s conversations. Sound insulation with panels made from natural materials like wool felt or green walls can absorb excessive sound while introducing natural biophilic elements and textures. An example is Acusti Art ™ Box from the brand Fabric Images who have a creative selection to solve the acoustics in different presentations.
Thermoception
Thermoception is the sense by which we perceive temperature, which can be influenced by the sensation of air moving through the skin. Therefore it is important to optimize ventilation and thermal control to ensure that workers can control temperature and air flow according to their needs (i.e. windows and vents that can be opened when needed and localized thermostats accessible).
With this in mind, the slick and shiny surfaces used in minimalist office interiors of the past, which were meant to reflect and encourage efficiency, actually prove to be less efficient. This is because the lack of sensory stimulation in the workspace can lead us to seek or be susceptible to distractions and disrupt our workflow.
References.
✓ How Can We Design Mindful Offices? (2018, January 22). Human Spaces. https://blog.interface.com/mindful-offices/
✓ Weathered Color Tile 5T426 carpet tile Commercial Flooring. (s. f.). ShawContract. Retrieved August 11, 2021, from https://www.shawcontract.com/en-us/product/details/5T426
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