Wellness by Design

Mental health concerns continue to plague the workforce. Here’s how your workspace can help. 

May is Mental Health Awareness month, and things don’t look so good for today’s workforce. 

At least 75% of employees are wrestling with a mental health challenge, according to the Society of Human Resources & Management. 

Culture matters greatly to employees’ wellbeing, and intangibles like connection, time and autonomy can make a huge impact. Yet employers are doubling-down on office design as one additional way to improve wellbeing and mental health. 

A recent study by UK architecture and design firm MoreySmith found that 69% of workers say their office has a direct impact on their mental health. 

“Creating workspaces where people feel supported and valued has a real impact on our mood, emotions and overall wellbeing,” MoreySmith founder Linda Morey-Burrows recently told the London Times. “Office design blends the physical, digital and social aspects of our work environment to facilitate connections, both with colleagues and the organization itself.” 

As a result, employers are implementing small design features, whether it’s lighting, greenery, standing desks and soundproofing, that can make the office more appealing to hybrid workers. Office designers are taking cues from hospitality, ensuring that the in-office space is meaningful, says Marilyn Russell, associate principal at Orlando-based Baker Barrios Architects.

“We say companies need to ‘earn the commute’ by offering an in-office experience that is better than what people find at home,” Russell says. 

Better Lighting

It’s well documented that light can have a powerful impact on the way we feel inside a space. A 2023 study by Australia’s Monash University found that high exposure to daylight reduced the risk of depression by 20%, and a 2024 JAMA Psychiatry Study found that 30 minutes of bright light therapy led to a 40% remission rate in individuals with non-seasonal depression—better than antidepressants. In addition, the Danish concept of “hygge,” which involves using lighting to create a soothing atmosphere has been shown to reduce stress.

Employers are taking notice. Leaders are increasingly investing in new lighting technologies to improve the work environment. Research has found that light can have an impact on brain function, most particularly when it comes to tasks that involve sustained attention. 

With that in mind, companies are using faux skylights with virtual sun and moons that attempt to mimic natural light. The adjustable systems are designed to sync with people’s circadian, or the biological clocks inside our bodies that tell us when to sleep and wake up. They’re also installing windows that tint themselves to cut down on the sun’s glare and can be controlled with an app.  

Biophilic Design

It’s no secret there is a significant impact in biophilic design—or adding elements of nature and greenery into building spaces. A 2020 study in the journal of Environment International found that nature at work reduced feelings of anxiety and boosted happiness and relaxation. 

Deloitte has embraced this idea with a number of its offices. Its London office, for instance, has 6,300 plants and more than 500 feet of green walls, as well as timber and stone materials, while its Vancouver office has a 24-story tower with vertical gardens that frame views of the mountains.

Noise Relief

Noise at the office can be another factor that hurts mental health. Research published in Metabolic Brain Disease found that chronic stimulation can lead to elevated cortisol levels, anxiety and burnout. And more recently, a 2024 survey by audio-visual tech company Jabra found that 74% of employees in noisy offices felt mentally drained by the end of the day.

In fact, noise is preventing many people from wanting to return to the office—with 56% of employees saying that their workplace is noisy and a third work from home to avoid it.

Employers are fast adopting phone booths for quiet calls and focus work and building acoustic-enhanced huddle rooms that accommodate small groups for virtual meetings. They’re using acoustical treatments—carpet, ceiling tiles, and felt paneling—as well as nature sounds through speakers to reduce the distraction of voices and outside noise. Some soundproofing panels are so sleek they even look like wall art. 

Ergonomic furniture

There’s been a lot of buzz around “sitting disease,” which notes that sitting is the new smoking. The vast majority of us work at desk jobs and sit as many as 11 hours a day, according to Life Fitness Physical Therapy. And it’s bad news for our minds: People who sit more than six hours a day are more likely to develop anxiety and depression—especially women. They’re three times as likely to have depression. 

Employers see the link. At least 60% of employers now offer standing desks as an option, with tech giants like Apple and Facebook leading the way. They are adding adjustable chairs, mixed-height meeting areas, and design features that encourage movement, such as centrally placed staircases and walking paths. 

One corporate headquarters designed by Baker Barrios incorporated a central staircase that was highly visual and became something people naturally gravitated toward using, says Russell. “As a result, people would pass fellow co-workers, stopping to chat along the way. It also promoted physical movement, which is an important component of mental health,” she says.

Conversely, employers are finding that adding comfortable lounge areas that offer a place to relax, recharge and engage with others offers much-needed mental breaks and boosts brainstorming. Those social connections can be huge for mental health because today’s worker is increasingly lonely: A 2024 Gallup report found that about 20 percent of working adults across the globe said they experienced loneliness compared with 32 percent of those who are unemployed.

Recharge rooms

Another top of mind design element: wellness or “recharge” rooms. These areas are designated spaces where people can relax, nap, pray, meditate or have quiet reflection. They usually include comfy seats, soothing light and soundproofing. 

These rooms started popping up before the pandemic with Proctor & Gamble, Nike and others adding them. Wellstart Health System has 16 wellness rooms stocked with snacks, massage chairs and a spa-like atmosphere. 

The trend is expected to continue and expand this year. There’s good reason: meditation is linked to reduced anxiety, stress and depression. A 2024 meta-analysis of 26 studies found that mindfulness meditation significantly reduced depressive symptoms during the pandemic alone. It’s also linked to brain changes for improved learning, memory and emotional regulation.

Color

A burgeoning area of research in design is in the psychology of design, or what your space subconsciously tells you. Science has explored everything from smell to temperature to visual cues in a space and how they subconsciously impact your mood and emotion. There’s a lot you can do with design that improves the psychological comfort of those who inhabit the space. Color is a big one. Lighter colors can make a room feel bigger and tend to create a sense of calm and comfort. Often, the way you respond to color will depend on whether you’re an introvert or extrovert. 

Employers are looking at how those spaces play out differently for various types of people—including those who may be neurodiverse, or who process and absorb information differently. Companies are creating a variety of spaces for those different sensitivities. 

There is no single quick fix to declining mental health at work. But with a conscious effort to improve corporate culture and implement a few design features, employers can make the workplace a more inviting and comforting space for everyone.