In today’s modern workplace, promoting both physical and mental wellbeing is no longer just a trend, it’s a necessity. Employees thrive in environments that support their health, comfort, and overall sense of balance. Thoughtful design plays a major role in achieving this, from dedicated wellness spaces to flexible layouts and natural elements that foster calm, collaboration, and focus.
Wellness Rooms: A Space for Privacy, Comfort, and Compliance
One meaningful way to support employee wellbeing is through the creation of wellness rooms. These spaces offer employees a private and comfortable area to recharge, reflect, or tend to personal needs throughout the workday.
The Federal PUMP Act of 2023 further underscores the importance of such spaces. This legislation requires employers to provide reasonable break time for a nursing employee to express breast milk for their child for up to one year after the child’s birth. Employers must also provide a location, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion by coworkers or the public.
When designing spaces for our clients, we intentionally include one lockable room that is free of glass to ensure maximum privacy and comfort. This not only supports employee wellbeing but also ensures that our clients remain compliant with current labor laws and regulations.
Why You Should Incorporate Plants Into Your Space
Beyond wellness rooms, the natural environment plays an essential role in workplace wellbeing. Indoor plants are a simple yet powerful design element that can make a significant difference in how employees feel and perform.
Plants offer numerous benefits: they improve air quality, reduce stress, enhance mood, and promote focus, while also contributing to a more aesthetically pleasing and natural environment. Adding greenery to a workspace can transform the atmosphere, making it feel more vibrant, balanced, and connected to nature.
Designing with the User in Mind
At the heart of every effective workplace design is a user-centric approach—one that focuses on employees’ needs, comfort, and productivity. This design philosophy creates spaces that support various work styles and encourage both wellbeing and efficiency.
By considering factors like layout, furniture, lighting, and acoustics, designers can shape environments that enhance the employee experience. Open collaboration areas, quiet zones, ergonomic workstations, and flexible meeting spaces allow individuals to choose the best setting for their tasks and preferences.
Elements such as natural lighting, biophilic design, and intuitive wayfinding promote both physical and mental wellness, helping employees feel more engaged and at ease throughout the workday.
Modern user-centric design also integrates technology and adaptability to meet the evolving needs of today’s workforce. Features like smart lighting, adjustable desks, and acoustic solutions cater to individual preferences, while glass walls and versatile furniture seamlessly support both teamwork and focused individual work.
By balancing collaboration with privacy, and movement with comfort, user-centric design empowers employees to perform at their best —ultimately driving organizational success.
Flexible Work Environments: Interplan’s Approach
At Interplan, we believe flexibility is the cornerstone of a truly effective workspace. Our office is designed to offer diverse work environments that cater to a range of work styles, allowing employees to choose spaces that boost both productivity and wellbeing.
Designed with neurodiversity in mind, Interplan’s office supports different sensory preferences and working styles. Adjustable lighting, acoustic treatments, and ergonomic furniture ensure inclusivity, enabling employees to thrive in adaptable environments suited to their needs.
This thoughtful, flexible approach enhances productivity, reduces stress, and accommodates employees’ diverse cognitive needs—making the workplace not just a place to work, but a place to feel supported.
And for those seeking complete quiet, our Hush Pods provide self-contained, soundproof workspaces designed to offer privacy and reduce noise in open office environments. Don’t believe it? Feel free to test it out with a partner—you’ll be surprised at the difference true acoustic design can make!
Designing for Wellbeing and Performance
A workplace designed with wellbeing, flexibility, and user experience in mind does more than meet compliance standards, it fosters a culture of care and productivity. Whether through thoughtfully designed wellness rooms, the addition of plants and natural elements, or user-centered, flexible design strategies, every decision contributes to a healthier, happier, and more successful workplace.
When employees feel supported and inspired by their environment, everyone benefits—from the individual to the entire organization.
