Optimizing office environments for work efficiency and health of worker
Researchers examine the economic benefits of enhancing various elements in office spaces in Tokyo for improved work efficiency and health
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RESEARCHERS FROM HOSEI UNIVERSITY, JAPAN, EXAMINE THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF ENHANCING VARIOUS ELEMENTS IN OFFICE SPACES IN TOKYO FOR IMPROVED WORK EFFICIENCY AND HEALTH
view moreCREDIT: SHUN KAWAKUBO AT HOSEI UNIVERSITY, JAPAN
The quality of the office environment significantly affects work efficiency and worker health. Therefore, creating and maintaining an optimal built environment in the office can be a key step in maximizing a company's economic growth. Previous research has examined how indoor environmental quality (IEQ), including elements like temperature, air quality, lighting, and noise, impacts work efficiency and worker health. However, these studies do not tend to focus simultaneously on work efficiency and worker health, nor do they quantify the economic benefits of optimizing office environments.
In a new study published on 1 September 2023, in Volume 243 of the journal Building and Environment, researchers from Japan investigated how office environmental elements impact work efficiency and worker health, while also analyzing the economic benefits of optimizing these elements. They surveyed 1644 workers in 29 office buildings in Tokyo, collecting data on the built environment through worker questionnaires and physical IEQ measurements. They then compared the perceived work efficiency (reported by workers) in offices to that in an 'ideal' office with maximum work efficiency to estimate the economic value provided by the built environment. Similarly, they looked at the extent of presenteeism (working while sick) and compared it to a scenario where workers faced no health-related barriers to work. The study, led by Professor Shun Kawakubo from the Faculty of Engineering and Design at Hosei University, Japan, included colleagues Shiro Arata and Masaki Sugiuchi from Hosei University, and others.
The study found that participants perceived their work efficiency to be at an average of approximately 77%. Presenteeism varied, with some participants reporting no symptoms in the last 30 days, while others experiencing symptoms every day. The average decrease in performance due to presenteeism was approximately 34%.
The effects of overall office environment elements on perceived work efficiency and presenteeism were examined in the study. A better overall office environment was associated with higher perceived work efficiency among workers. "Workers in offices with lower environmental performance had low work efficiency, while those in higher-performing offices had high work efficiency. The 16.8-point difference in work efficiency between workers in offices with relatively good and poor environments equates to an annual economic benefit of about 1,039,000 JPY, highlighting the financial advantages of a good work environment," explains Prof. Kawakubo. Similarly, a better overall office environment was linked to lower performance loss due to presenteeism. Prof. Kawakubo notes, "The better the office environment, the lower the amount of loss due to presenteeism. The difference in annual economic loss due to presenteeism between workers in offices with relatively low environmental performance and workers in offices with relatively high environmental performance was 423,000 JPY."
The study also revealed that higher quality elements such as "interior and furnishings," "overall building sanitation," "airflow from HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning)," and "meeting space" were associated with higher perceived work efficiency. Elements like "disaster and emergency," "thermal environment," "lightning environment," and "telecommunication networks" were associated with lower economic losses due to presenteeism. The estimated economic benefits related to perceived work efficiency were greater than those associated with presenteeism.
The study concludes that offices can boost economic benefits, and underscores the global need for enhancing worker efficiency as well as employee health by developing good quality offices. “Today, companies around the world are reaffirming the importance of human capital. We believe that widespread recognition of the fact that investment in the creation of a good office environment is directly linked to maintaining and improving the health of office workers and increasing the productivity of the company as a whole, will contribute to the building of a healthier society,” concludes Prof. Kawakubo.
THE STUDY HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF THE OFFICE ENVIRONMENT IN INFLUENCING WORK EFFICIENCY AND WORKER HEALTH AS ESTIMATED BY AN ANALYSIS OF PRESENTEEISM. THESE FINDINGS CAN ASSIST STAKEHOLDERS IN MAKING INFORMED DECISIONS WHEN DESIGNING OR RENOVATING OFFICE BUILDINGS AND CAN HAVE IMPORTANT ECONOMIC IMPLICATIONS FOR COMPANIES.
CREDIT
Shun Kawakubo at Hosei University, Japan
Shun Kawakubo at Hosei University, Japan
Reference
Authors: Shiro Arata1, Masaki Sugiuchi1, Toshiharu Ikaga2, Yasuyuki Shiraishi3, Tatsuya Hayashi4, Shintaro Ando3, Shun Kawakubo1
Title of original paper: Economic benefits of the effects of office environment on perceived work efficiency and presenteeism
Journal: Building and Environment
DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110712
Affiliations:
1. Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering and Design, Hosei University, Tokyo, Japan
2. Department of System Design Engineering, Faculty of Science and Technology, Keio University, Kanagawa, Japan
3. Department of Architecture, Faculty of Environmental Engineering, The University of Kitakyushu, Fukuoka, Japan
4. Department of Architecture, Faculty of Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan
About Professor Shun Kawakubo
Shun Kawakubo is currently a Professor at Hosei University’s Department of Architecture. Professor Kawakubo has published many scientific articles in subjects including sustainability science and built environmental engineering. As a broad goal, his engineering research aims to facilitate the creation of “cities of the future” that aid in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
About Hosei University
Hosei University is one of the leading private universities in Tokyo, Japan. The university offers international courses in many disciplines and has a long and rich history. Hosei University was founded as a school of Law in 1880 and evolved into a private university by 1920.
It is also home to multiple research centers, which conduct advanced research on various fields, including nanotechnology, sustainability, ecology, and more.
The university has three main campuses—Ichigaya, Tama and Koganei, located across Tokyo.
For more information please see: https://www.hosei.ac.jp/english/
METHOD OF RESEARCH
Survey
SUBJECT OF RESEARCH
People
ARTICLE TITLE
Economic benefits of the effects of office environment on perceived work efficiency and presenteeism
New resource gives business leaders a blueprint for optimizing equitable employee health and well-being
The Health Equity in the Workforce collaboration among the American Heart Association, the Deloitte Health Equity Institute and the SHRM Foundation shares an actionable strategy map for employers to positively impact the health of their workforce
Business AnnouncementDALLAS, November 1, 2023 — Health outcomes research has shown that workers in the U.S. experience inequitable health and well-being, with significant variations in the burden of chronic disease, mental health conditions, food insecurity and more across populations, even among those covered by employer-sponsored insurance.[1], [2] Recent studies demonstrate how the workplace can serve as a social driver of health, impacting the risk of conditions such as high blood pressure and heart disease.[3], [4] This growing body of evidence underscores the need to equip employers with tools and resources to positively influence the health and well-being of their workforce.[5]
To help bridge this gap, the American Heart Association, a global force for healthier lives for all, today released the Health Equity in the Workforce Employer Resource Guide, developed in collaboration with the Deloitte Health Equity Institute and the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Foundation. This new resource aims to increase employers’ understanding and adoption of health equity in the workplace to help all employees reach their full health potential.
The guide includes an overview of how health inequities can manifest in the workplace and the role of the employer, as well as actionable strategies, economic insights and guidance on measuring progress. Expanding on the foundational work of the Association’s CEO Roundtable in support of the 2024 Health Equity Impact Goal, the guide delves deeper into the practical implementation of health equity policies and practices and the potential impact on workforce health and business performance.
“The American Heart Association is committed to championing health equity through every means possible, including activating employers to drive change in the workplace,” shared Gerald Johnson, American Heart Association EVP, Office of Health Equity and chief diversity officer. “Mounting evidence has highlighted the inequitable experience of health and well-being in the U.S. workforce, and the implications this has for both employees and employers. Organizations at the forefront of this movement that commit to actively dismantling barriers to health for employees will reap the benefits of increased trust, engagement and strengthened business outcomes.”
A future of health equity is one in which everyone has an optimal and just opportunity to be healthy, with intentional consideration for those at greatest risk of poor health. Optimizing the workplace so that all employees can thrive is not only a moral imperative, but also supports continued business success. Through intentional efforts to align benefits, policies and programs with equity considerations, employers can play a vital role in helping achieve zero gaps in health outcomes.[6]
“Our research shows that employers have an important role to play in helping to advance health equity, and benefit design is just one aspect where business leaders can drive meaningful change for their workforce,” said Kulleni Gebreyes, M.D., Deloitte U.S. Life Sciences and Health Care Consulting leader and chief health equity officer. “Through this collaboration with the American Heart Association and SHRM Foundation, we hope to empower employers with the resources to embed health equity into strategies and solutions that can improve the health and wellbeing of all their employees.”
"This health equity resource guide is just the next step in a critical campaign that the SHRM Foundation is taking part in," said Wendi Safstrom, president of the SHRM Foundation. "Our research showed that more than half of U.S. workers (53%) are likely to leave their current job if offered a new job with significantly better mental health benefits. This guide helps leaders bridge that gap."
The Health Equity in the Workforce collaboration provides employers with actionable strategies to help ensure that their health and well-being benefits, policies, and programs result in equitable outcomes for all employees. An employee-centric, equity minded approach can also help strengthen employee engagement and retention, build consumer trust, and support talent attraction in today’s competitive market.[7], [8], [9] The initiative is powered by the American Heart Association’s Well-being Works Better™ platform, which helps business leaders unleash the power of a healthy, happy workforce.
Visit heart.org/workequity to access the Employer Resource Guide and learn more.
Additional Resources:
- Multimedia is available in the right column of the release link.
- Spanish news release will be added as available.
- AHA news release: Equipping employers to address costly health inequities, improve workforce well-being
- Follow AHA/ASA news on X (formerly known as Twitter): @HeartNews
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