wellness and property - what a commercial tenant should know when choosing their next building

The centrality of "wellness" in the workplace has become a much talked about topic within the commercial real estate industry. In fact, wellness has become a significant driving factor in decision making when it comes to the search for office space. This is because employers are increasingly putting their people first, offering their staff better services and conditions to retain talent and improve their bottom line. 

While initial concepts of "Wellness in the Workplace" were associated with free gym memberships and company yoga classes, business leaders are recognising that the wellbeing of their employees goes well beyond that. In searching for new workspaces, more and more companies are looking towards the property itself to determine how their people's experience will be.

Recently, Macquarie Group embarked on its first property project which will pursue WELL Certification ( a system developed by the International WELL Building Institute that measures how the built environment contributes to human health and wellbeing) and other property projects around the country are now placing a strong focus on what was once considered a passing trend.  What the WELL system shows, is that we can actually measure how the human experience is affected by the buildings we occupy and this has many implications for property strategy and search at the end of a commercial lease.

So what are the key wellness factors you should look out for as a tenant when searching for property?
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• Facilities and ammenities 

Things like End Of Trip Facilities, gyms, hospitality styles services and the provision of spaces that support a healthy, communal and enjoyable experience for tenants.

• The right mix of tenants

A carefully curated tenant mix reflects the experiential aspect of real estate that can truly help businesses flourish and succeed within their buildings. Tenants should look at moving into buildings with likeminded businesses, but not necessarily businesses of the same industry. An environment of diverse talent and personalities that can benefit from each other under the one roof is an ideal commercial property situation, which will add to an enhanced cultural experience for tenants. 

• Sustainability

Buildings that adhere to sustainability practices through eco friendly materials and various sustainable solutions have become far more important in recent years as businesses become more pro active about their role in the environment. 

• Physical elements of the building

The location of the building can be key to your staff's wellbeing, such as proximity to public transport and parking facilities, as well as the general vibrancy of the area. Other factors such as natural light, access to communal areas and outdoor space are also key to determining how wellness fits in to the property.
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