We recently carried out a workplace survey amongst our staff and used those results to create and implement an action plan that can then be monitored over the coming months. The core themes that emerged were around indoor air quality, biophilia, active lifestyle and mental wellness.
Indoor Air Quality
We selected nine new air purifying, low maintenance office plants from a UK company named Patch, along with a set of matching clay pots. Our preferences were for a mix of ‘ZZ’ plants, Snake plants, Spider plants and some larger Philodendron Scandens for the corners of the main office.
Two indoor air purifiers with HEPA filters were also added to the office space as a way to finish the work started by the air-purifying plants, whilst improving ventilation levels and thermal comfort.
We then brought in a set of innovative wifi-enabled OMNI indoor air monitors from a San Francisco based brand called Awair that will give us real time data on the indoor air. Specifically we are tracking CO2 levels, humidity, temperature and airborne particulate matter / VOCs.
Active lifestyle
To support an active lifestyle and reduce the environmental impact of the team’s daily commutes, we now offer a 50% subsidy on the annual cost of a bicycle share scheme subscription, such as Santander Cycles, for all employees.
We also offer a £50 annual contribution to our team’s gym membership fees, fitness studio classes or meditation sessions.
Biophilia
In addition to the new indoor plants mentioned above, a NEOM Organics diffuser / humidifier combined with an essential oil containing pine, cedarwood and eucalyptus help bring in the scent of nature.
Our location adjacent to Green Park in St. James’s means that we might not have as many breakout spaces in the office as we’d like so instead we have implemented a 20-minute ‘nature break’ policy whereby staff are encouraged to step outside into the park to recharge, refocus and refresh at some point during the day, as needed and without stigma.
Mental wellbeing
Aligning with the London Lord Mayor’s A Healthy City / This Is Me campaign around raising awareness of mental wellness issues in the city, we chose one of our team to undergo a Mental Health First Aid online course by social enterprise MHFA England, based in south-east London.
This training means there is a responsible, easily approachable, senior team member available to offer basic assistance with any issues that may arise.