Workplace well-being, a priority for companies
Given the changing scenarios of recent years, the workplace is constantly being redefined and is becoming a space where hybrid, face-to-face and remote work must coexist without barriers and where working conditions are aligned in perfect balance with the well-being of workers.
Every workspace is unique and its dynamics and needs change. But what post-pandemic events have made clear is that if companies want to attract, engage and retain talent, it is imperative to put the employees their well-being at the center of their priorities. To do this, offices must be designed to respond to their needs and different ways of working.
Well-being at work
Workplace well-being encompasses different aspects ranging from physical and mental wellness, work-life balance, and financial stability, among others. The last Gallup consulting firm's employment report, published in 2023, yielded historic data: 44% of workers felt stressed. So nowadays, we search for more welcoming and warmer settings and environments that care for the worker and foster responsible, reflective and creative work. Companies with a work culture with a holistic approach that cares for their health and shares their commitments to a more sustainable and conscious world.
Employees value companies that respect individuality and encourage collaboration and interaction in the workplace. Because the office is no longer just a place to work. It is a place where we come together, meet, share and interact, and where the flexibility of space and schedules makes it easy to reconcile personal and professional life. Because workers understand that their well-being goes beyond their private sphere and demand working conditions and environments that allow them to work at ease.
The value of play in the workplace
More and more companies are incorporating play into their spaces and their approach to work. It has been shown that play applied in work environments sparks creativity and serves as a catalyst for innovation. It strengthens the team spirit and invites collaboration. It reduces stress, boosts motivation and engagement, leading to improved productivity. Play benefits not only the employee but also the company because when workers feel cared for and fulfilled, achieving goals becomes a shared purpose that fosters a positive corporate culture.
“There’s a blurring of the lines between work and play, which merge to generate a work experience focused on people and on how they relate to each other.” – Rafael Rodríguez, designer and CEO of RS Barcelona.
Play has become a central strategy in office design. And RS Barcelona, with its game tables (football, ping pong, shuffleboard tables and billiards) continues to bet on play as an essential and unifying element in work environments, transforming spaces into places where people want to be, share, and work. But work comfortably and at ease. Because work, after all, is just a serious game.
