From the growing importance of holistic wellbeing to the increasing popularity of sports and meditation practices or the healthy eating habits that define what goes on in our kitchens - our daily routines have been transformed by the emergence of the health-conscious lifestyle.
However, wellness is much more than just a personal matter. As health-conscious culture permeates every aspect of life, Australian workplaces are recognising the importance of designing with wellbeing in mind to boost healthy workplace routines and increase employee productivity and satisfaction.
Employee wellbeing is an important economic factor for any business. According to Australia’s Healthiest Workplace Survey 2018, both habitual absence and overworking can cost businesses over $11 million a year. With 53% of Australians experiencing at least one dimension of work-related stress, addressing employee health is key to a successful business.
In order to alleviate stress and promote wellness, many modern workplaces offer health programs with yoga sessions, healthy cooking classes, flu shots or relaxing massage. But in truth, wellness starts with something much simpler: hydration.
The proverbial water-cooler, which in so many modern workspaces is now a break-out area fitted out with a water system, is not only a place of social interaction - it’s fundamental to employee wellness.
Inadequate water intake, in combination with factors like warm temperatures and poor air conditioning, can cause dehydration which can have a negative impact on employee health, cognition and professional capacity. Even as little as 1% dehydration can affect mood, attention, memory and motor coordination whilst severe and chronic dehydration can impact brain function and cause long term health problems leading to increased absence from the workplace.
Thus, easy access to drinking water is one of the most vital aspects of ensuring wellbeing within an organisation. Designers and specifiers who work with commercial spaces have a great opportunity to specify convenient and easy to use hydration solutions to help employees maintain a healthy routine.
Billi is a leading Australian manufacturer and supplier of high-quality drinking water systems. Their filtered water solutions are perfect for industry professionals who want to achieve elevated wellness outcomes whilst specifying innovative products manufactured to strict quality, safety, access and mobility standards. Combining the best quality under-bench filters with stylish dispensers makes Billi’s selection of products a perfect choice for various commercial environments.
Their range of filters is tested in accordance with the standards of NSF - an internationally-recognised public health and safety organisation. Not only do they remove the sediment, chemicals, infections, cysts, pollution and bacteria which can be found in tap water and lead to health concerns, they also improve the taste of water which can promote an increase in its consumption.
Billi’s units offer options for boiling, chilled and also sparkling filtered systems which can provide employees with easy-access to a wide array of drink options - which in turn, encourages them to consume more water over fizzy drinks and juices - a much healthier choice than the heavily sweetened or kilojoule-heavy drinks available in market.
Workplace wellness goes further than targeted solutions to help employees maintain their health - it’s also about designing sustainable spaces for those employees to work in. Some research has suggested that sustainable workplaces are perceived as healthier and more conducive to productivity by employees.
Billi is committed to providing Australian architects, designers, specifiers and consumers with wellness-boosting products that help create sustainable workplace environments. Their Eco, Quadra and Quadra Plus models have Global GreenTag Certification and meet green building design principles as eco-friendly and energy efficient water systems that eliminate unnecessary power consumption.
In today’s increasingly health-conscious world, architects, designers and specifiers have an imperative to design workplaces that increase employee wellbeing. With hydration a key factor in achieving that, Billi’s instant water filtration units provide a high-quality, efficient and sustainable means of improving workplace wellness.
