Shared workspace design: elements of analysis for a healthy work experience.

What is it about?

A ‘healthy workplace’ has been defined as an environment in which managers and workers cooperate continuously to ameliorate worker’s health, safety and wellbeing hence, maintaining productivity and engagement. In this context, Salutogenesis, a discipline applied in health sciences, and more recently in other fields is an appropriate approach for the investigation of healthy work experiences in shared work environments, as it addresses wellness focusing on health and not on disease (pathogenesis). Studies on defining spatial attributes and their intended salutogenic outcomes have been formally done in healthcare facilities. However, applying this idea to shared workspaces is expected to contribute to their design and evaluation, especially if the notion of environmental demands and resources is complemented. This paper provides an overview of a model of analysis that considers the main spatial design attributes that influence and produce the most relevant positive health outcomes. These results are essential for a healthy work experience, especially in shared workspaces. The study departs from the theoretical contributions of the salutogenic approach, principles from Supportive Design Theory, Psychosocial Supportive Design mainly, and Environmental Demands and Resources Model. After a “scoping literature review” covering different fields of workspace design, environmental psychology, and evidence-based design of healthcare facilities, a proposed understanding is created that interrelates the concepts of work, health, and environment. The model of analysis, meant to constitute a theoretical element that helps create methodological tools, is thought to assist architects, designers, workspace owners, and stakeholders in their new designs or to evaluate existing ones.

Featured Image

Photo by Simon Abrams on Unsplash

Photo by Simon Abrams on Unsplash