A healthy building encourages employees to work efficiently and healthily. Movement is a key part of this. The aim is to reduce sedentary behaviour and promote physical activity.
The WELL Building Standard v2 is used to set concrete guidelines for designing healthy buildings. This standard contains mandatory criteria an office must meet, as well as optimisations to make it even more dynamic.
What is mandatory:
Physical and visual ergonomics
- Screen adjustable in height and viewing distance (no laptops)
- More than 25% of employees have a sit-stand desk
- Adjustable office chair
- Legroom at standing workstations, with footrests or anti-fatigue mats
- Ergonomics training: risk factors, how to set up your workstation
Active building design
- Encourage movement and stair use: aesthetics, signage and visible staircases
- Active commuting: bike storage, facilities such as showers and lockers
- A site that invites movement: surroundings that encourage activity, such as shops, cycle paths, footpaths, benches,…
- Active furniture: Deskbike, walking desk, balance board, dynamic stools
- Active outdoor environment: park, woods, trees and plants, walking paths,…
Other optimisations
- Provide opportunities for physical activity: exercise programmes
- Provide spaces and equipment for physical activity: fitness
- Enhanced ergonomics: an ergonomist to set up workstations
- Promotion of physical activity
- Self-monitoring: wearables
Source: ergonomiesite.be