Healthy Workspace: What Is It? Why a Healthy Environment Matters and How to Create a Productive Office Space

Have you ever walked into an office and felt immediately drained or distracted?

If you’ve faced the challenge of working in a space that seems to drain your energy rather than inspire it, you’re not alone.

With people spending up to 90% of their time indoors, it’s more important than ever to ensure the air we breathe is safe and clean. Many people deal with the problem of working in environments that hinder productivity and creativity. Whether it’s uncomfortable seating, poor lighting, or bad air quality, these issues can have a big impact on your work.

The challenge is clear: without a healthy environment, both focus and creativity can decline, leading to lower productivity and more stress.

In this blog article, we’ll draw on our experience to help you understand what makes a workspace healthy and why it’s important.

We will:

• Define what constitutes a healthy workspace
• Explain why a healthy environment is crucial for productivity and creativity
• Offer practical tips for improving your office space
• Provide strategies to create an environment that supports well-being and efficiency

By the end of this read, you’ll have actionable insights to transform your workspace into a place that promotes health, enhances focus, and boosts creativity.

Did you know that improving indoor air quality can double cognitive performance? This fact highlights how even small changes in air quality can significantly boost decision-making and problem-solving abilities.  

What is a Healthy Workspace?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a healthy workspace is an office that addresses potential physical and psychosocial hazards. It would also promote and support healthy behaviors to boost productivity and well-being.

Key elements of a healthy work environment include:

• High air quality: Ensures clean, fresh air that supports concentration and overall health.
• Dynamic workstations: Offers flexibility in seating and desk arrangements to improve comfort and reduce strain.
• Balanced noise level: Maintains a quiet, yet not too silent, environment to help focus and minimize distractions.
• The right amount of natural light: Provides adequate daylight to boost mood and productivity.

These components work together to create a workspace that supports both physical health and mental well-being.

What is the Internet of Things?

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a network of internet-connected objects that can collect and exchange data from embedded services. Devices included in the IoT are to the Internet and can be tracked and controlled remotely. They can be connected through different communication protocols, such as Wi-Fi, LoRaWAN, cellular, and others present in the market.

Wi-Fi is a high-bandwidth protocol that is used for devices that require high data rates and low latency. However, its coverage is very limited up to 150 feet indoors and 300 feet outdoors, which makes it a poor choice for large office spaces.

LoRaWAN, in turn, is a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) protocol that is used for devices that require long-range communication and low power consumption. Usually, a single LoRaWAN gateway, which acts as a mediator between the devices and application, can cover up to 15 km of area and ensure effective data transmission.

There is also a cellular network, which has high bandwidth that can provide fast data rates and low latency. Cellular is also able to cover large areas but it requires a license, which results in high operating costs.

The goal of IoT is to create a world where everyday objects can communicate with each other and trigger events based on the data they collect. This can lead to increased efficiency, improved safety, and new opportunities for innovation in a variety of industries.

How Can IoT Be Beneficial for the Office Spaces?

The Internet of Things (IoT) is transforming office environments by connecting devices and systems to gather and share data. This technology offers several advantages for creating healthier and more efficient workspaces:

• Enhanced Air Quality: IoT sensors can monitor air quality in real time, alerting you to issues like high CO2 levels or poor ventilation. This helps maintain a fresh and healthy environment.
• Optimized Lighting: Smart lighting systems adjust based on natural light levels and occupancy, ensuring that workspaces have the right amount of light throughout the day, which can improve focus and reduce eye strain.
• Efficient Temperature Control: IoT-enabled thermostats and climate control systems adjust heating and cooling based on room usage and preferences, maintaining a comfortable temperature and reducing energy costs.
• Streamlined Maintenance: IoT sensors can track the condition of office equipment and alert facilities managers when maintenance is needed, preventing downtime and prolonging the life of your assets.
• Improved Space Utilization: Smart desk and meeting room booking systems help optimize workspace usage, ensuring that every area is used effectively and reducing wasted space.

By integrating IoT solutions, office spaces can become more adaptive, responsive, and supportive of both employee well-being and operational efficiency.

How Can the Workspace Impact Your Health?

The workspace can impact your health in many ways, considering you spend there around 8 to 9 hours, on average. That’s why optimizing the workspace for productivity, focus, and comfort is so important.

Mental Wellbeing

According to Harvard Business Review, 69% of Millenials and 81% of Gen Zers have left their work because of mental health reasons in 2021. So, if the employees don’t feel appreciated, understood, and supported in work/life balance, it might result in burnout, lack of abstract and creative thinking, and finally outflow from the company.

Respiratory Health

In recent years, there has been an increased focus on the importance of indoor air quality (IAQ), as it can have a significant impact on worker well-being and productivity.

Poor IAQ can lead to a variety of problems, including:

• Headaches
• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Respiratory problems.

Additionally, as per another Harvard Study, it has been linked to a decrease in cognitive functioning and even visual focus. This study has proved that the cognitive function scores were 15% lower for the moderate CO2 day (~ 945 ppm) and 50% lower on the day with CO2 concentrations of ~1,400 ppm. It creates the need for constant CO2 monitoring and proper ventilation in indoor areas. The Internet of Things technology, in turn, can help monitor air quality factors and provide data that can be used to improve work environments.

For this purpose, TEKTELIC has designed BREEZE, a CO2 monitoring device, which can be deployed anywhere in the room due to its small form factor and variety of mounting options. Besides, it can be added to the BREEZE application, where you can monitor all the data at once and have reported on the most densely occupied spaces.

Healthy Posture

Good body posture has both physical and mental benefits while sitting many hours at the office desk can lead to back and neck pain, muscle tension, and even lung issues. It affects not only the physical health but also the mental and emotional well-being of a person. The health issues connected to the posture can impair the productivity, performance, and satisfaction of workers, as well as increase the costs of health care and absenteeism.

Eyesight

When working long hours on a computer, reading, or driving, your eyes can become tired. This condition is known as eye strain and it may result in headaches, blurred vision, dry eyes, and even the need to close them during the day. At that point, the creation of a healthy visual environment is crucial not only for effective working surroundings but also for overall well-being.

What is Needed to Transform Office Spaces?

In order to transform a traditional office space and optimize productivity, a company needs to start using IoT applications and monitor factors influencing the environment. This can include a smart lighting system, dynamic workstations, psychological support, air quality monitoring, and noise control.

Smart Lighting

Smart lighting solutions or automated window shades can help tailor the light intensity and color as well as cut energy consumption, when there is enough natural light.

According to the Workplace Wellness Study, natural light in the workplace has a positive effect on employee well-being and productivity. Exposure to sunlight helps promote vitamin D production in the body, which protects against various illnesses and diseases. Besides, 33% of employees mentioned that the possibility of adjusting lighting around the workplace (including overhead lights, natural lighting, and desk light) is an important factor in a comfortable workplace. Furthermore, proper lighting can reduce headaches and eyestrain caused by computer screens. It also enhances concentration and short-term memory, thus increasing productivity levels.

That’s why it’s necessary to monitor lighting and adjust it to achieve optimal productivity and decrease energy consumption. TEKTELIC has designed a COMFORT sensor, which monitors light, temperature, and humidity. Plus, it detects leaks and vibrations, so a building manager can adjust lighting depending on the number of people present in the area and the time of the day.

Success Story: Enhancing Healthy Environments with TEKTELIC’s COMFORT Sensor

We’d like to share a COMFORT’s successful deployment that highlights the impact of TEKTELIC’s solutions in creating healthier indoor environments.

The Challenge: Building operators needed a cost-effective, comprehensive solution to monitor and maintain optimal indoor climate conditions. They required a system to gain remote insights into building environments to ensure health and safety.

The Solution: Goldeni, a data analytics company within the Morgan Sindall Group PLC, partnered with TEKTELIC’s UK distributor, Sensational Systems, to deploy IoT solutions across various properties. By integrating TEKTELIC’s COMFORT Smart Room Sensor, they provide real-time data on indoor conditions such as temperature, humidity, light, and movement. The sensor’s easy setup and minimal installation deliver valuable insights to service and maintenance teams.

The Outcome: With COMFORT’s data, Goldeni offers remote intelligence on building conditions, allowing property services teams to address issues before they impact occupants. This approach enhances energy efficiency, reduces environmental impact, and ensures healthier indoor environments for both residential and commercial properties.

Active Workstations

A standing desk with ergonomic chairs can be a perfect solution for healthy posture and is an ideal way to stay awake. According to the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology, people who spend half a day standing, have fewer problems with back pain, avoid weight gain, and are at lower risk of insulin resistance. Standing desks have also proven to increase focus, creative and abstract thinking, and provide maximum alertness.

An ergonomic chair, in turn, can help you maintain proper posture while working, which in turn reduces back and neck pain. Furthermore, it helps prevent musculoskeletal disorders like carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis.

Support and Mentorship

The possibility to reduce stress after work or during work has a huge impact on employees’ satisfaction with the workplace and contributes to retention and long-lasting professional relationship. A healthy workspace is not only about the extensive outdoor area or adaptive lights, it depends on healthy relationships within a team as well.

Air Quality Monitoring

Monitoring air quality is essential for maintaining a healthy indoor environment. Poor air quality can lead to various health issues, including headaches, fatigue, and respiratory problems, all of which can negatively impact productivity and well-being.

Indoor air quality (IAQ) is influenced by several factors, including temperature, humidity, CO2 levels, and pollutants. Effective air quality monitoring helps to ensure that these parameters remain within healthy ranges.

TEKTELIC’s BREEZE CO2 monitoring solution is designed to provide comprehensive data on indoor air quality. The BREEZE sensor measures not only CO2 levels but also temperature, humidity, light, and occupancy. This multi-functional device is perfect for creating a more comfortable and healthier indoor environment.

Key Features of the BREEZE Sensor:

• Real-Time CO2 Monitoring: Accurate measurement of CO2 levels to ensure air quality is maintained within safe limits.
• Comprehensive Environmental Data: Monitors temperature, humidity, light, and occupancy, offering a complete view of indoor conditions.
• Auto-Calibration and Pressure Compensation: Ensures long-term accuracy with minimal maintenance.
• Extended Battery Life: Designed for reliability and ease of use with a long-lasting battery.
• Simple Integration: Easily integrates into existing systems for seamless data sharing and analysis.

Life Experiment! In this video, we will show you how CO2 level changes during a 30-minute meeting.

Benefits of Using BREEZE for Air Quality Monitoring:

• Improved Health and Comfort: By keeping CO2 levels and other environmental factors in check, the BREEZE sensor helps to enhance overall comfort and reduce health risks.
• Informed Decision-Making: Provides actionable insights that enable timely interventions to improve indoor air quality.
• Energy Efficiency: Helps optimize HVAC systems based on real-time data, potentially reducing energy costs and improving system performance.

Integrating TEKTELIC’s BREEZE sensor into your air quality monitoring strategy ensures a healthier and more productive indoor environment, making it an essential tool for both residential and commercial spaces.

Noise Control

Excessive noise can cause stress, distraction, fatigue, and communication difficulties for employees and visiting clients. Therefore, companies need to implement some measures to reduce the noise level and improve the acoustic quality of the office space.

One way to achieve noise control is by using IoT devices that can monitor and adjust the sound levels in different areas of the office. For example, some IoT sensors can detect the noise level in a meeting room and automatically lower the volume of the speakers or mute the microphone if needed. IoT devices can also create ambient sounds or music that can mask unwanted noise and create a pleasant atmosphere.

What are the Benefits of a Healthy Workspace?

There are many benefits of incorporating IoT technology into office areas. Some of the most notable include:

• Improved employee productivity
• Improved energy efficiency
• Better employee health

For example, smart meeting rooms that are able to adjust brightness and temperature based on worker schedules can improve productiveness and boost the level of comfort. Besides, automated lighting systems can help reduce eye strain and fatigue, giving a rise to the productivity of an employee.

As for energy efficiency, light control and monitoring, as well as occupancy control can help companies re-assess their space needs, adjust lighting, and save on costs. When companies establish software and hardware for power monitoring and managing they will be able to achieve optimal energy usage.

And one of the most important benefits is the health improvement of all building occupants. When environmental conditions (air quality, lighting, noise) are within the world-accepted norms, employees will better perform creative and analytical work, and as a result, drive profits.

What Does TEKTELIC Have for Smart Offices?

TEKTELIC offers a range of solutions designed to transform traditional office spaces into smart, efficient environments. Our smart office technologies focus on enhancing productivity, improving comfort, and streamlining operations through advanced IoT solutions. Here’s what TEKTELIC brings to the table:

1. COMFORT Smart Room Sensor:
Our COMFORT sensor is a versatile tool that monitors various indoor parameters such as temperature, humidity, light levels, movement, and CO2 concentrations. It provides real-time data and alerts, helping to maintain a comfortable and healthy workspace. Its easy setup and minimal maintenance make it an ideal choice for smart office environments.

2. BREEZE CO2 Monitoring Solution:
The BREEZE sensor is designed to monitor indoor air quality with a focus on CO2 levels, temperature, humidity, light, and occupancy. It ensures that your office maintains optimal air quality, which is crucial for employee health and productivity. With features like auto-calibration and extended battery life, BREEZE delivers accurate and reliable data.

3. TEMPO Meeting Room Display Tablet:
The TEMPO tablet enhances meeting room management by providing a user-friendly interface for booking and scheduling. It displays real-time availability, simplifies room reservations, and helps manage space efficiently, reducing scheduling conflicts and improving overall meeting productivity.

4. MEMO Multi-Purpose Display Tablet:
MEMO is a versatile display solution that can be used for a variety of applications within the office, including information boards, wayfinding, and interactive displays. It integrates seamlessly with other IoT devices to provide comprehensive information and enhance communication within the workspace.

5. SPARROW Enterprise Asset Tracker:
Our SPARROW tracker helps manage and monitor office assets, ensuring that valuable equipment and supplies are easily located and accounted for. It provides real-time tracking and status updates, reducing the risk of loss and improving asset utilization.

6. TUNDRA Cold Room Temperature & Humidity Sensor:
For offices with sensitive storage needs, the TUNDRA sensor monitors temperature and humidity in cold storage areas. It ensures that these conditions remain stable, which is essential for preserving sensitive materials or products.

Benefits of TEKTELIC’s Smart Office Solutions:

• Enhanced Productivity: By maintaining optimal environmental conditions and streamlining office management, our solutions help employees stay focused and productive.
• Improved Comfort: Real-time monitoring and adjustments ensure a comfortable workspace that supports well-being.
• Operational Efficiency: Automated data collection and management reduce manual tasks and improve overall efficiency.
• Energy Savings: Our smart solutions help optimize energy use, reducing costs and supporting sustainability efforts.

In addition to the abovementioned hardware (sensors and LoRaWAN gateways), TEKTELIC offers software to automate your office and make your work life easier. We have a variety of applications, which allow you to have all the data right on your mobile phone or PC. For example, using the BREEZE sensor, you can also use BREEZE Application, which helps to easily control and monitor environmental conditions in different rooms around the building.

With this application, users can check whether CO2 levels are within the normal range remotely at any time.

TEKTELIC’s smart office technologies are designed to create more intelligent, responsive, and comfortable work environments, making them a valuable addition to any modern office space.

Main Takeaways

Creating a healthy workspace is essential for enhancing productivity, focus, and creativity. Key aspects of a healthy work environment include maintaining high air quality, using dynamic workstations, managing noise levels effectively, and ensuring adequate natural light.

The integration of IoT technology into office environments plays a significant role in managing these factors. IoT solutions provide real-time monitoring and control of indoor conditions, helping to maintain a comfortable and efficient workspace.

To transform your office into a smart, healthy environment, explore TEKTELIC’s range of solutions. Contact us today to learn how our technologies can enhance your workspace and support your business goals.