INCORPORATING INTEGRATIVE HEALTH IN THE WORKPLACE
So how do you bring wellness into a workplace? Dr Sternberg advises merging the principles of integrative health – resilience, environment, movement, relationships, spirituality, nutrition and sleep – with building design and operations.
“You can apply these principles to any space, where you live, learn, work or play,” she said.
“These are activities that everyone has to engage in daily to remain physically healthy and emotionally well, but it is really hard to consciously engage in them,” said Dr Sternberg, which is why it is important that workspaces are designed to encourage wellness.
OPEN OFFICES, SLEEP PODS AND A RECHARGE ROOM
One element for the workspace that Dr Sternberg advocates for is the open office.
“Most people have the misconception that the open office is one with rows and rows of desks,” said Dr Sternberg.
She prefers to call it the active office, a term coined by American inventor Robert Propst, which is often regarded as the precursor to the open office layout.
“The ideal open office should be one with moveable furniture which allows people to adjust the way they work. Workers should have lots of choices of other spaces they wish to go to for different types of work,” said Dr Sternberg.
“There should also be different-sized gathering spaces, and it should entice people to use them. Uninviting places will keep workers glued to their chairs.”
