Eliminating irony in health sciences workplaces

If you close your eyes and imagine a laboratory, what do you see? Chances are it involves sterile space with lots of white and stainless steel, glaring fluorescent lights, and people wearing white coats and serious expressions staring down the barrel of microscopes examining petri dishes.

And for many health sector research facilities, you’d probably not be far from the reality. It’s ironic that for all the research community has done to prove the value of wellbeing features in workplaces, care settings and residential homes, often the research facilities that generate the evidence don’t provide these environments for their workers.

Some of the features of the workplace are driven by practical, utilitarian considerations. Bright lighting supports the level of visual detail and discernment that matters for many tasks. White surfaces show any trace of dirt, dust or contamination which helps visibly benchmark cleaning regimes – and given many laboratories require scrupulous control of contamination to maintain research integrity, this makes sense.

Lino or tile floors are robust and resistant to drops and spills of things like acids, alkalis, and oils.

While this all helps protect and enable the research – the process at the heart of the building – it does neglect the wellbeing of the humans. And without healthy researchers who can function at peak cognitive ability, an experiment series cannot achieve anything at all. The breakthrough isn’t what’s in the beaker – it’s what’s in the mind of the scientist analysing the contents.

Health sciences is, however, changing. This is driven partly by the need to attract and retain qualified young people, who increasingly do consider the quality of a workplace as a deal-breaker. For those with STEM qualifications, the skills shortage means there is the luxury of choice.

Recruit and retain for research roles

Within a laboratory setting, it is possible to prioritise health and wellbeing without compromising building and scientific standards. For example, it is common for a typical office to be located outside of the laboratory, providing scientists with a PPE-free workspace.

Furthermore, break/lunchrooms, end-of-trip active travel facilities, and even transient spaces can be crafted with attention to detail, mirroring the standards of a top-notch city centre fit-out. All these amenities can thus maximise health and wellbeing outcomes for employees, creating a contrast against the more sterile areas, which is arguably of even greater importance.

Changes of space and moving between environments helps our brains think creatively and discover new angles or insights, and there are numerous advantages to design-enabled mingling between different researchers and support staff. Casual conversations and ‘bump space’ encounters build a culture of collaboration and cross-pollination of ideas.

Five key health and wellbeing areas which should be a non-negotiable in these non-laboratory areas are:

Biophilic design - incorporation of natural elements such as plants, water features and natural materials (such as timber, stone, fabrics, terracotta) along with green walls, indoor gardens and access to outdoor spaces and views of nature.

Mental wellbeing - design of spaces for relaxation and mental breaks with suitable acoustic provision; applying Universal Design principles to support neurodiversity and inclusion; encouragement of physical activity spaces with walking paths, climbing walls, fitness areas and stairs ideally designed with consideration for social interaction.

Natural lighting - strategic window placement, skylights and circadian lighting to support our natural sleep –wake cycles.

Art and culture integration - engagement of local/Indigenous artists to contribute art installations, sculptures and murals both inside and out, to promote a connection to Country and the local community.

Community gardens - addition of rooftop/gardens or indoor vertical farms where employees can engage in gardening, socialise and produce food they can eat, which also delivers a direct health and nutrition benefit.

Buildings for breakthroughs

As we saw during the race to understand the behaviour of Coronavirus and then find a vaccine for COVID-19, health researchers bring a level of focus, dedication and application to their work which goes well beyond most careers in a 9-to-5 commercial workplace. Many are driven by a sense of mission to save lives and eliminate suffering from conditions such as cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative conditions, and genetic disorders.

Providing workplaces that support these science superheroes to solve the mysteries and create the cures is also a noble pursuit.