Restorative outdoor qualities at workplaces promote incresed well-being, cooperation and productivity
| Reference number | |
| Coordinator | Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet - Arbetsvetenskap, ekonomi och miljöpsykologi |
| Funding from Vinnova | SEK 9 984 051 |
| Project duration | November 2017 - September 2020 |
| Status | Completed |
| Venture | Challenge-driven innovation - Phase 2 Collaboration |
Important results from the project
The purpose is to develop tools for ensuring de-stressing and restorative natural qualities in workplaces, to promote employee well-being and work capacity. The long-term objective is that all types of property owners and builders, certify their properties as "restorative workplaces", for the benefit of future tenants / users and society. The knowledge is important in hospital contexts where natural impressions are important for staff, patients and visitors. The pandemic clarifies the importance of environments that support staff and promote empathic conversations.
Expected long term effects
The protocol has been tested in a wide range of workplaces in 30 settings, e.g. offices, preschools, universities and healthcare settings. The projects included involve all phases of planning, from program phase to management. The tool has proven to be useful and a demand has risen to implement it further and for converting it to a smoother system, e.g. an app. Such a system is important to the implementation; to easier register and store the data for future development and management. An app could include information about the evidence base as well as manuals and instructional videos.
Approach and implementation
The protocol includes 100 parameters for evaluating nature impression in interiors, outdoors and in neighborhoods. A group of up to 7 stakeholders, e.g. representing building owner, tenants, users, managers and architects, go through the protocol together. The group discuses and takes notes on easily reachable improvements in relation to the protocol. After filling out the form, the result appears in pedagogic diagrams and a list of possible measures and improvements, useful for operation and maintenance.