Wellness, Flexibility & Choice

by Ariana Martinez, WELL AP

With mental health awareness month coming to an end, I’m making time to check in with myself and reflect on the last few weeks. There is no doubt that this new way of working is here to stay. So I’m asking myself, what has been working? Where is there room for improvement? What adjustments can be made to help support my needs moving forward?

For spaces to become more human, more thoughtful, we need to embrace the concept of choice in and out of the workplace. Unfortunately for us, workstyles don’t come in a “one size fits all” and we can’t read people’s minds. As an industry, we frequently talk about the importance of flexibility in the workplace. But this goes beyond providing phone rooms and collaborative areas. If the concept is so simple, why do we often struggle with implementation?

Because the concept of flexibility isn't simple at all. Flexibility requires a strong underlying framework of systems. It requires us to anticipate behaviors and activities in ways we never have before. It requires empathy. Only with this foundation can we make spaces truly that stretch to the user's needs.

When we allow users real choice by being thoughtful about how they interact with space, we remove friction from the workplace. This helps users, whether they know it or not, to feel seen by their organization. And when spaces that are designed with empathy are paired with policies to support the whole person at work, the result is true wellness.

As you and your team members reflect on the last few weeks, challenge yourselves to think of ways to improve the framework. How can you be more empathetic? How can you support user choice in your organization? What defines a flexible workplace? This dialogue creates a sense of excitement as we prepare our return to the workplace. This is how we continue to re-shape wellness focused strategies for the future.

“Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.” - Maya Angelou