October 3, 2022

Creating an irresistible work environment

Have you ever thought about how your environment affects your well-being and overall health? You spend 8 hours a day, or one-third of your days working at your office. Are you spending this whole time sitting at a desk? Do you have ample natural light? Are you taking breaks to move your body? Take a moment to think about your office space and work environment and the feelings the space itself elicits. Do you feel at peace, comfortable, and refreshed while in your workspace? Have you ever walked into an office that was dark and stodgy, maybe even a bit unwelcoming when you walked in? Tim Goodwin, CFP®, and president of Goodwin Investment Advisory did not want to work in a place like that! He realized the importance of creating an irresistible work environment that brings people together to collaborate, but also one that was designed with wellness in mind.

Tim intentionally set out to create a place every one of his 13 employees would enjoy – even asking the staff to brainstorm and share ideas that would help to create a space where everyone loved coming to work. Tim wanted to build a place where people felt welcomed and at home. He and his wife, Maureen, were thoughtful in the design of the new office, considering the overall well-being of the team as they planned and built the new space. He wanted to not only create a light-filled, open space to encourage staff to enjoy collaborating, but he envisioned the office as becoming a space where clients and the community wanted to come and hang out. Tim and his team moved into the new office on May 23rd of this year and have already hosted an amazing open house where 135 clients and families shared charcuterie and wine and conversation in the home-like office.

There is psychology around the environments we are in and how they can affect our mood and our feelings and behaviors as well as our physical well-being. Having a great work environment helps increase employee satisfaction and retention, reduce stress, and increase productivity. GIA is even working toward becoming WELL Building certified. In an article from Forbes titled, “How Your Office Space Impacts Employee Well-Being,” Alan Kohll writes, “The WELL Building Standard™ (WELL) is the premier standard for buildings, interior spaces, and communities seeking to implement, validate, and measure features that support and advance human health and wellness. Administered by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBITM), and certified by Green Business Certification Inc., the WELL Building Standard is the first standard that focuses on human health and wellbeing in the design, construction, and operations of buildings.” Some of the features of our new office include a phone booth for privacy during phone calls, 4 zoom rooms, an open family room style workspace with a kitchen, plants that bring life and purify the air, a bright color scheme with natural elements and a modern comfortable flair, a shower, access to trails, a gym and a pool, stand-up desks, and views out every window to nature., and even a bidet in the bathrooms. We got everything covered, including the staff’s bottoms!

Tim shares, “Creating this space wasn’t easy, but we are so proud and happy with the space, because it has a very welcoming vibe. Not only do we want to create a space to work and meet our clients, but we also want to inspire others to create places where people love to come to work.” If you work out of your home, consider changing your environment or personal workspace to include plants, natural lighting, a stand-up desk, colors that bring peace, and organizing the space to help you focus on what matters.