Corporations spend quite a bit of money on the physical well-being of their employees: they build gyms inside the building; reward the cessation of bad health habits; and encourage office trends, like treadmill and standing desks. This focus on physical wellness makes perfect sense. A healthy workforce is financially beneficial to an employer.
As the emotional and financial burden associated with mental illness become an increasing focus for employers, it is important to also create and contribute to a psychologically safe working environment.
Creativity and productivity won’t flow from an employee feeling emotionally unsafe. Of course, systematic changes within an organization need to be adopted in order to eliminate those feelings, and promote one of security. However, your overall office design can also contribute to your workforce’s emotional well-being. Here are a few ways:
Provide a variety of settings. For some, working or meeting in an 
open setting negates the discomfort of being “behind closed doors.” Creating multiple workstations, including group workspaces, open seating areas, and cafe style seating, gives employees the option to chose a setting with which they’re the most comfortable.
Integrate multiple seating options. Adding chairs with arms into the mix is a sensible idea. The arms become a part of the person’s own personal space, keeping others from getting too physically close.
Customize the walls. Many corporations are doing away with traditional office walls in offices and meeting rooms, and replacing them with glass walls. Glass gives passersby visual access to whatever is happening within the glassed space, putting everyone more at ease.
At Alliance Corporate Services, we believe creating an environment that supports emotional well-being in the workplace goes a long way. While it might be a single aspect of what companies can do to eliminate unnecessary stressors, it’s a piece that’s often overlooked.
Contact us about your particular needs. With access to hundreds of thousands of pieces to accommodate your office space, we can offer multiple solutions