A new study sheds light on how offices can boost productivity and employee health and well-being at the same time
How much can your physical workspace affect your productivity and your health and well-being?
A lot, it turns out as researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and SUNY Upstate Medical University found that “working in green-certified buildings was associated with higher cognitive function scores, fewer sick building symptoms and higher sleep quality scores”.
In their study of 109 workers in buildings spread across the US, they discovered that participants showed 26% higher cognitive function skills in green buildings.
Addtionally, employees showed:
• 73% higher crisis response scores;
• 44% higher applied activity level scores geared towards decision-making;
• 38% higher focus; and
• 31% higher strategy scores.
They also reported 30% fewer sick building symptoms and 6% higher sleep quality scores compared to those working in buildings that were not green-certified.
“We’re advocating for what we call Buildingomics - a new approach that examines the totality of factors in the building-related environment,” said lead study author Dr. Joseph Allen, assistant professor of exposure assessment science at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
“Through Buildingomics’ multi-disciplinary approach, we aim to better understand the factors that influence health in buildings and unlock the ability to optimise buildings for improved cognitive function and health.”
This article is from HRD Singapore by Lauren Acurantes.
A lot, it turns out as researchers from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and SUNY Upstate Medical University found that “working in green-certified buildings was associated with higher cognitive function scores, fewer sick building symptoms and higher sleep quality scores”.
In their study of 109 workers in buildings spread across the US, they discovered that participants showed 26% higher cognitive function skills in green buildings.
Addtionally, employees showed:
• 73% higher crisis response scores;
• 44% higher applied activity level scores geared towards decision-making;
• 38% higher focus; and
• 31% higher strategy scores.
They also reported 30% fewer sick building symptoms and 6% higher sleep quality scores compared to those working in buildings that were not green-certified.
“We’re advocating for what we call Buildingomics - a new approach that examines the totality of factors in the building-related environment,” said lead study author Dr. Joseph Allen, assistant professor of exposure assessment science at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
“Through Buildingomics’ multi-disciplinary approach, we aim to better understand the factors that influence health in buildings and unlock the ability to optimise buildings for improved cognitive function and health.”
This article is from HRD Singapore by Lauren Acurantes.
