It’s well documented that providing exposure to nature improves mental health and promotes wellbeing. That’s why biodiversity has fast become a key driver in promoting healthier workspaces with buildings and office campuses that provide green spaces viewed as more attractive to occupiers.
There is a growing trend to design places where workers can be immersed in nature during their workdays, and here at Exchange Quay we continue to invest in our office environment and public realm for tenants through our biodiversity improvement scheme to make it a great place to work and also a great place for mother nature to thrive too.
Providing workers with a natural escape from the office away from the screen not only helps to boost productivity, it can help to reduce stress, enhance creativity, improve mood and lift morale, as well as give a sense of community.
Over the last few years we have transformed the office campus into a haven for birds, bees and pollinators, planting hundreds of bee-friendly plants, wild flowers and trees, installing homes and habitats for wild bees, as well as an insect hotel and now boast a 40,000 strong honey bee colony housed on our rooftop.
Even a small connection with living things and nature during your day can have a huge beneficial impact on how productive you are and how well you perform at your job. How could you fail to be impressed and inspired by our Honey Harvest when occupiers can meet the bees in an educational workshop to find out what a fascinating force of nature these intelligent creatures are?
We are gearing up for our latest initiative to plant a new herb garden close to our kitchens which will enable our on-site restaurants to use fresh, readily available and seasonal herbs in their menus.
So with 1 in 4 people experiencing a mental health problem of some kind in a year in England, according to MIND, we believe our green, biodiverse initiatives are supporting both the mental and physical health of some of our 4,000 workers on site, leading to better wellbeing.
By continuing to invest in biodiversity on site, this will pay environmental dividends for years to come and benefit not only Exchange Quay, but the entire community of Mancheste
Written by:
Les Lang Till AM, Asset Manager at Exchange Quay.
03/20/2024