Six Big Ideas for Wellbeing at Work You Can Make Happen

In 2024 ensuring employee wellbeing means more than just safeguarding physical health. This blog post explores the 6 fundamental requirements for workplace wellbeing that employers should consider when focusing on workplace design.

Steelcase’s ongoing research into workplace wellbeing identifies 6 key priorities for building a more resilient workforce.

If our teams feel their working lives are characterised by these values, then they will likely be happier, healthier and more productive.  

• Purpose - fostering a sense that they are doing something important
• Optimism - the feeling that what they do makes a difference, 
• Authenticity - the sense that they are respected
• Belonging - the feeling they are part of a team
• Mindfulness - a sense of control over stress levels
• Vitality - the feeling of being energised at work

Taken together - the effect of these experiences on an individual’s motivation, mental health and tendency to burn-out can be profound.

But workplaces often mitigate against experiences of wellbeing

Think of the daily failures of communication and comfort that erode our sense of being valued in the workplace.

Think of the various ways our teams and tasks can be siloed and separated, the way individuals feel they lack control over their working environments, or the lack of facilities for collaboration and socialising that increasingly impact a hybrid team’s sense of togetherness.

Here’s how we can encourage each dimension of wellness through better design and furnishing decisions.

1. Meaning and purpose

When employees know their work makes an impact, they feel more engaged and committed.

Do your teams feel isolated in their day to day work? Are they able to see and interact with their own and different teams in meaningful ways as their days progress? 

Steelcase recommend shaping office layouts to create shared spaces and walkways where leaders and employees can interact both formally and informally to spur spontaneous connections. 

Starting your day with team ‘stand up meetings’ in dedicated ‘scrum areas’ can be a fantastic way to align everyone’s goals and targets - as well as helping mark the beginning and ends of specific projects.  

The latest edition of Steelcase’s Work Better Magazine, Joy at Work, shows how larger booths and canopied areas can help teams braid digital and analogue experiences together:

Daily stand-ups and other meetings can be held in these enclosed collaboration spaces, located adjacent to the production area. Movable technology allows remote participants to join, while whiteboards make work visible.

2. Optimism

In a world where employees often deal with stress and crisis fatigue alone, optimism is more important than ever. 

A positive mindset, rooted in resilience, hope, and growth, enables employees to better manage stress, be inclusive, and forge stronger connections with colleagues.

A thoughtful workspace can lift spirits. Whether it’s a lounge with warm, natural materials or a quiet spot with a view, these design details remind employees that you care about the aesthetic and human dimensions of their working experiences. 

In Work Better Magazine, Steelcase designer Lloyd Thomas, recommends adding stylish splashes of colour in the office, with a stunning rug from Moooi Carpets. He also recommends investing in comfortable, multifunctional furniture like the Hosu Lounge Chair from Coalesse:

“I love this chair because it lets whoever is using it decide how they want to sit. Spread out and relax or sit up and focus”.

Incorporating these “moments of delight” throughout the office can encourage resilience and boost morale.

Read more about the popping power of office decor in our practical guide to accessorising your workspace.

3. Authenticity

Encouraging employees to express their true selves creates stronger, more authentic connections in the workplace.

However, feeling authentic can be challenging, particularly for underrepresented groups. Providing an environment where people feel accepted for who they are reduces stress and prevents burnout.

Workspaces that offer flexibility—such as adjustable privacy wraps, moveable desks, and customisable lighting—can help employees feel more in control of their work environment and more comfortable expressing themselves. By creating spaces that adapt to individual needs, companies promote a culture of authenticity.

These privacy wraps allow individuals to cocoon themselves with customisable walls.

4. Belonging

Feeling a sense of belonging is critical for engagement and trust in the workplace.

As hybrid working becomes the default for many, employees can feel disconnected from their colleagues. Creating opportunities for meaningful connections across diverse teams fosters empathy, trust, and generosity.

No matter where employees are located, they need to identify as part of that company and that requires bringing their culture to their office environment. You can’t be Target or Delta Airlines if your employees don’t feel connected to your culture. Making this connection is the most important role of the workplace, today”.

NSR CEO and Founder Lalit Ahuja 

GOODEE, a Canadian e-commerce company, surrounds its workers with examples of the world beating sustainable products they curate. These objects are displayed like ornaments on shelving units that zone their workplace. The effect is to build a homely environment where workers are continually connected with their values as a working family.

5. Mindfulness

Mindfulness helps employees manage stress, focus on the present, and build deeper connections with others.

In a world filled with digital distractions and constant interruptions, mindfulness can offer a reprieve, allowing people to regain perspective and concentrate on what matters most.

Providing spaces for retreat and renewal—whether it’s a quiet nook for deep work or a cozy area for reflection—can help employees reconnect with themselves. Creating these calm, distraction-free zones encourages mindfulness, helping employees stay centered and focused.

Read more about creating wellness rooms in your workplace.

6. Fostering vitality

Vitality encompasses mental, physical, and emotional health. When employees are energised and balanced, they perform better, both at work and in life. Encouraging healthy practices in the workplace—from regular movement to healthy food choices—supports overall wellbeing.

Incorporating a variety of spaces that encourage different postures—sitting, lounging, or standing—helps employees stay active throughout the day. Encouraging movement during work fosters not just physical health but also mental clarity and engagement.

Different furnishing choices can encourage different rates of activity and movement.

For example, the Solar Table from Viccarbe is designed to swivel to optimise your working posture. It can be easily spun to aid collaboration, or just help those who are restless find comfort in movement.

Furniture with movement and self-soothing features can help with focus and concentration, particularly for individuals with ADHD.

Nichola Plummer, Design Director, IE

Conclusion: Designing joyful workplaces

By thoughtfully integrating meaning, authenticity, belonging, optimism, mindfulness, and vitality into the workplace, organisations can create environments that support not only productivity but employee joy and wellbeing.

These dimensions aren’t just abstract ideas—they are key elements that can be woven into the physical design of the workplace, transforming it into a space where people thrive.