We’ve all heard about the value of a good night’s sleep, but what about the concept of rest in the workplace? Did you realize that by incorporating restorative spaces into your floorplate, you can not only boost the happiness and morale of your teams, but also increase their happiness?
Fortunately, one of the most respected authorities on spaces that promote wellbeing, the International WELL Building Institute, provides a guide for creating the perfect rest (sometimes also referred to as restorative) spaces.
According to WELL, a restorative space is available to all regular occupants and is designated to rest and relaxation. The space can be mult-purpose, but is not used for work. If it is outdoors, it should be available year-round to meet the WELL standard. To promote rest, the space should consider things like…
- Lighting – including dimmable controls.
- Sound – possible incorporating water features, natural sounds, or sound masking.
- Thermal Comfort – such as sun exposure and shaded areas for outdoor spaces.
- Seating arrangements – that can accommodate a variety of user preferences and activities.
- Nature incorporation – think biophilic design!
- Calming colors, textures and forms – in a survey from GF Smith and the University of Sussex that consisted of over 26,000 participants, navy blue was considered to be most calming, followed closely by teal-like turquoise and soft pastel pink.
- Visual privacy – through things like screens, panels, dividers and walls.
WELL also suggests incorporating signage, education materials and other resources to explain the purpose and intended use of the space.
Silicon Valley researcher and author Alex Soojung-Kim Pang writes that ‘Work and Rest are actually partners. They are like different parts of a wave. You can’t have the high without the low. The better you are at resting, the better you will be at working.”
Not only can rest reduce symptoms of burn-out, but it is actually productive! AI researcher Max Frenzel writes, ‘Excellent work, particularly of the creative and innovative kind, needs rest and relaxation just as much as it requires time actively engaged in work. When we rest, our brain is busy consolidating memories and quietly searching for solutions to the problems we encounter.’ This can improve innovation and lead to clarity for your team, especially on bigger-picture concepts.
So, we know these spaces are important, the research supports that. And we know how to craft these spaces thanks to framework provided by institutions like WELL. So for your next workplace, be sure to consider incorporating spaces dedicated to rest and restoration to maximize the full protentional of your workspace and the team its created for.
