Workplace culture is just as important to staff wellness as the technology used to measure it.
That was the message from a panel of experts at BCO’s Beyond the New Normal conference.
Matt Webster, head of wellbeing and futureproofing at British Land, said that technology enables and measures the health element of the health and wellbeing agenda but it is not enough to make somewhere a desirable workplace.
He said: “It is a mixture of workspace plus the company culture that equals a great place to work.”
Marylis Ramos, director at PRP, agreed: “All this technology gives us the data but that should always be coupled with quality assessments. So, asking people how they feel and if they are happy, because that’s the whole picture.
“It’s not just physical, it’s mental, it’s social, it’s everything.”
But Richard Francis, founder and principal at the Monomoy Company, suggested that it is too early to be concerned about the over-use of technology when it comes to wellness and sustainability.
“I would be worried about the technology and the data if we had a lot of it already. Compared to other industries we are still woefully ignorant about what happens in the workplace,” he said.
“There is a huge opportunity here with things like virtual reality that you can use to show people images and find out if things make them happy or feel well, before you buy a warehouse, or build and do refurbishments.
“The technology is not the be all and end all, but it is a huge leap towards a more sustainable future.”
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