Have you heard about workplace “wellness rooms?"

These spaces are becoming increasingly common in companies around the country as more folks acknowledge the importance of providing quiet spaces for their employees.

It’s well known that the work environment can have a significant impact on how employees feel about their job, and also how they perform.

A recent insightful article in Forbes quoted the Fellowes Workplace Wellness Trend Report, which found that 87% of workers said that they wanted their employer to promote health and wellbeing with new initiatives. Among some of these ideas? Including wellness rooms in the workplace. 

What’s more, for 93 percent of people employed in tech, the provision of a healthier workspace – again, including wellness rooms – would motivate them to stay longer with their employer.

And the evidence is there to prove that the better the mental and physical health of an employee, the higher their levels of productivity.

An article on the Entrepreneur website quotes a survey carried out by Employee Benefit News that found that 31 percent of those questioned said that mental health issues were the top reason for a decreased level of productivity in the workplace.

And clearly, poor physical and mental health often results in absenteeism, which is estimated to cost the small employer up to $81 per employee every year with this figure increasing to up to $286 for bigger companies.

Another key figure referenced by technology industry influencer Ruhani Rabin in his blog is that employees who are in the top 10 percent in terms of productivity actually spend 30 percent of their working day on breaks. If this fact doesn’t convince you of the importance of relaxation at work, what will? 

For these reasons, adopting a more modern office layout that includes these type of spaces is a must.

Inspiration For Wellness Room Activities

In many offices, the original inspiration behind a wellness room would be to provide a private office layout for employees to see to their personal health needs. This could be taking blood sugar readings if they have diabetes, for example, or carrying out a telemedicine appointment.

But this is just one of many uses of this versatile facility. A wellness room could also be used simply as a place for quiet reflection and a chance to get away from the stresses of work. Some may use it to meditate, pray, or just sit and relax with a book or music.

If you have employees who are eager to work-out while on a break, you could use a wellness room for this purpose. Purchase some yoga mats or simple equipment such as weights, or a small exercise bicycle for their use. Because exercise releases “feel-good” endorphins, it will help your employees return to their work with a positive attitude.

At the other end of the spectrum, it may be more appropriate to make your wellness room somewhere comfortable where employees can rest. A comfortable chair or couch if there’s space, and some homely touches such as cushions and throws will soon transform your space into a welcome retreat.

And remember that it’s always a good idea to communicate with your employees before defining the guidelines for your wellness room. Make it a joint project so that they feel engaged with their new facility and make the most of it. 

Wellness Rooms Guidelines, Rules, And Etiquette

When launching a new health and wellbeing scheme, it’s wise to establish some guidelines, rules, and etiquette so employees can be clear about how to use their new wellness room, and what will be expected from them.

Here are some suggested rules for you to consider.

• Be specific about what sort of activities can be undertaken in your wellness room, and be clear that it is not to be used for work purposes. This reinforces the important message that downtime is essential at work.
• Set a time limit for using the wellness room – 30 minutes or an hour, for example.
• Decide whether you should use a reservation system to book the room out, or whether it would work better on a first-come-first-served basis.
• Ensure that you have signage to indicate when the room is in use to prevent employees from being disturbed.
• Make sure your employees understand that they should leave the wellness room in good condition, and that personal items such as medication should not be stored there
• Do not play loud music inside the wellness room without earphones - it's a place for quiet time
• Do not crowd the wellness room - people need space to unwind and relax
• Never bring work into a wellness room
• Don't interrupt others when they're using the wellness room. Give them time to relax and recharge
• Socializing is not the goal of a wellness room. Let others use it in peace
• Do not bring overly scented food, colognes or perfumes into the wellness room

Above all, make sure that your employees are on board with your plans by being mindful about how you communicate these rules to them. Choose your wording carefully to encourage enthusiasm and participation and demonstrate that you are open to suggestions from staff.

How to Add the Perfect Wellness Room

While some companies are fortunate enough to have plenty of space to allocate a spare room, it’s worth knowing that this isn’t strictly necessary.

Even if you operate an open-plan office, you can transform some of your office space into a wellness room. Try installing a modular conference-style room that will provide a private area insulated against intrusive sounds. Zenbooths that fit this description are are light, attractive, and low-cost.

Zenbooth Designs Specializes In Wellness Rooms

At Zenbooth, we pride ourselves on specializing in a range of booths that can be used for many purposes.

Our two largest models are ideal for wellness rooms and can help you make the most of your existing office space without compromising on quality and aesthetics. They have many features that make them suitable for the quiet, private space you need to create your perfect retreat.

Firstly, they are soundproofed so that conversations inside the booth can’t be understood outside, providing a good level of privacy.

Their bright interior, which is flooded with natural light thanks to the skylight ceilings, make them an inviting space. They also contain dimmable LED lighting so that the occupant can control their environment and create the atmosphere they need to carry out their wellness activity.

Their ventilation system, which circulates a booth’s worth of fresh air every minute means the inside is fresh and hygienic. Easy-to-clean materials enhance the cleanliness aspect of our booths as well.

And with power and USB, telephone and data ports, they are fully equipped for any media you choose to use inside.

The Zenbooth Duo accommodates two people but is still generous enough to provide room for some finishing touches to make your space welcoming to users.

For a larger wellness room, try our Zenbooth Quad, which comfortably fits four to six people. All our booths comply with accessibility standards, which means they can be easily used by every one of your employees.

And for all their practicality, Zenbooths certainly don’t skimp on looks! They are provided in a white or maple exterior, with a maple interior, making them stylish and inviting.

Zenbooths – The Easy Way To Create A Much-Needed Wellness Room

Now you know that creating a relaxing space for employees to take breaks is really not that difficult with high-quality and versatile Zenbooth products.

By carrying out a little bit of research into what your employees would like to use their wellness room for and setting some guidelines, you can soon provide a much-needed environment to enhance the health of your workforce and boost productivity.

We make it simple for you to order and receive your booth, offering fast shipping, deals on multiple purchases, a 30-day free returns policy, and instructions for easy assembly and disassembly.

If you would like further insights into creating wellness room etiquette policies using Zenbooth models, please contact us and let us help you design a beneficial and useful space to enhance your employees’ health.