Wellness
As one of the first WELL Certified government projects in Texas, Dallas County is pioneering a new type of workplace that emphasizes wellbeing and encourages a healthy lifestyle.
The programs create a healthy environment for employees while also providing a workspace that functions significantly better than before. The result is a healthier work environment that boosts productivity, decreases absenteeism, and increases attraction and retention of talent.
WELL strategies focus on more than just sustainable design and encourage operational and behavioral changes to enhance the health and happiness of the people who use the space. Highlights include:
- Air: specify low VOC paints, finishes, and furniture; enact no-smoking policy; provide better air ventilation and filtration systems
- Nourishment: offer healthier food options; prominently display fresh fruits and vegetables; reduce processed foods; create new messaging to promote healthy eating
- Light: provide lighting that doesn’t disrupt the natural circadian rhythm
- Fitness: provide access to the new on-site fitness center; activate and encourage the use of internal stairwells with use of design
- Comfort: provide ergonomic workstations, make available sit-to-stand workstations; minimize sound disturbances with proper acoustical solutions
- Mind: integrate art, history, connection to nature, and sense of place; celebrate the culture, spirit, and historical significance of the building with meaningful art integration
Image courtesy of Gensler.