Latest news with #InternationalWELLBuildingInstitute
Forbes
5 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
How CEOs Can Turn Return To Office Into A Competitive Advantage
If you want to spark sharp debates in business circles, mention return to office. Much to the frustration of many employees, the work-from-home arrangement is steadily fading into the background. There's merit to in-person work. But amid the policy battles, a bigger question is often overlooked: What are people actually returning to? Too many mandates rely on outdated management instincts. As Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO of the International WELL Building Institute, told me: 'I met with leaders in commercial real estate as the pandemic wound down, and almost every one of them looked the same—same gender, same race, same age bracket—and they all said the same thing: 'These butts need to get back in the seat.'' The assumption was apparent: If I can't see you, you're not working. That thinking ignores a fundamental shift. 'If you don't earn the commute, they're not going to show up,' Hodgdon said. Even with a mandate, you risk losing top talent to employers who prioritize flexibility, health, and purpose. It's not enough to fill chairs. The real question is whether those chairs are filled with people who are engaged, performing at their best, and choosing to be there. Offices As Untapped Performance Infrastructure The fixation on bringing people back often overshadows a bigger opportunity: treating the office as a system that actively improves performance, engagement, and well-being. Too frequently, leaders view workplace spaces as merely a cost center or static container for work, rather than recognizing them as a strategic asset for human capacity and long-term talent advantages. 'Ninety percent of our business costs are in our people,' Hodgdon said. 'So when we make investments in those people, it stands to reason we will see tremendous outcomes on the business side.' Environments designed with intentional attention to factors like circadian lighting, air quality, and ergonomics can measurably improve productivity, mental well-being, connectivity, and loyalty by reducing injuries and healthcare costs. The pandemic underscored this truth. The shift to home offices has forced employees to recognize how much their environment shapes their output, and leaders to confront the reality that productivity isn't just about hours worked. The organizations that will thrive aren't the ones enforcing attendance. They're the ones architecting environments that make people better at what they do. How To 'Earn the Commute' In the past, showing up to the office was expected. Today, it's a choice that employees weigh against the comfort, control, and autonomy of their homes. Hodgdon puts it: 'If you don't earn the commute, they're not going to show up.' Earning it means creating a workplace that delivers what home can't: connection, creativity, mentorship, purpose, and the resources to perform at the highest level. That starts with a holistic view. Hodgdon points to ten categories that directly influence how people feel, think, and work: air, water, nourishment, light, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, mind, and community. These are levers that tie in with hard outcomes like productivity, retention, belonging, and engagement. 'First, leaders have to make the cognitive leap that the physical environment can improve human outcomes,' Hodgdon said. 'If they can't see that link, they won't see why it's worth the investment.' The next question: What does our environment signal to our people? Where does it help them, and where does it hinder them? Without that clarity, you risk filling seats through compliance instead of contribution, and further eroding loyalty in the process. Return To Office Isn't Enough. Here's How To Earn It. Earning the commute begins with knowing who you're designing it for. Demographics, generational expectations, and neurodiversity (one in six employees is neurodivergent, often without knowing it) should shape workplace strategy, amongst other factors. Without that understanding, even well-meaning initiatives will miss their mark. From there, measure relentlessly. Anonymous surveys can reveal actionable data on belonging, energy, turnover risk, and more. 'Like a doctor, I can't treat the disease if I don't know what I'm treating,' Hodgdon said. Then start small, but start now, as that can quickly signal that leadership is serious about contribution, not just compliance. In the end, return to office battles are often a proxy for a deeper leadership question: Are you designing for compliance, or contribution? Mandates can fill chairs. But only intentional design will attract people who choose to be there because the environment enables their best work. One path measures success by presence. The other measures it by performance and loyalty.
Malaysian Reserve
a day ago
- Business
- Malaysian Reserve
FirstService Residential Earns WELL Certified™ Gold for South Region Headquarters
Company commemorates workplace excellence milestone with an immersive wellness event for associates in their South Region headquarters in Florida PLANTATION, Fla., Aug. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — FirstService Residential, North America's leading residential property management company, announced today that its South Region headquarters has achieved WELL Certified™ Gold from the International WELL Building Institute. The recognition is awarded to spaces that prioritize health, safety, and well-being through measurable performance criteria and reflects FirstService Residential's commitment to cultivating employee-centered workplaces. To celebrate the milestone, the company hosted a wellness event yesterday, August 13, at its South Region headquarters. The day began with a live unveiling of the WELL Certified™ Gold seal by Debra George, Vice President of Operations of the company's South Region. In-person activities included chair yoga, sound bath sessions, nutrition education, tours, and a 'Build Your Own Healthy Bento Box' station for lunch. Each activation helped associates connect WELL principles to their daily routines in the office. 'Achieving WELL Certified™ Gold reflects our commitment to creating workplaces that support our associates' health and wellness,' said Robert G. Smith, President, South Region. 'This recognition underscores our belief that when our associates thrive in the workplace, they're better equipped to deliver exceptional support to the residents and communities we are proud to serve.' WELL Certification is based on attaining exceptional levels of quality in criteria including air and water quality, natural light, ergonomic workspace design, mental health support, and nutrition-focused amenities. This achievement reflects a shared effort between FirstService Residential and FirstService Energy, the company's energy advisory affiliate, to design a workplace that supports well-being in real, lasting ways. 'FirstService upholds the same wellness standards in our workspaces that we help residents and communities achieve in their homes,' said Paula Allen, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, South Region. 'Earning this certification required meeting strict criteria across all aspects of our work environment, which reflects the company's deep commitment to creating spaces where our team members can excel daily.' The WELL Certified™ Gold achievement adds to a growing list of workplace honors for FirstService Residential. The company was recently named to Newsweek's 2025 list of America's Greatest Workplaces for Mental Well-Being and earned repeated recognition from Great Place to Work® in the United States and Canada. These achievements reflect the company's belief that investing in associate well-being leads to stronger teams, better service, and thriving communities. About FirstService ResidentialFirstService Residential is simplifying property management. Its hospitality-minded teams serve residential communities across the United States and Canada. The organization partners with boards, owners, and developers to enhance the value of every property and the life of every resident. Leveraging unique expertise and scale, FirstService serves its clients with proven solutions and a service-first philosophy. Residents can count on 24/7 customer care and tailored lifestyle programming, amenity activation, and technology for their community's specific needs. Market-leading programs with FirstService Financial, FirstService Energy, and special districts teams deliver additional levels of support. Boards and developers select FirstService Residential to realize their vision and drive positive change for residents in the communities in their trusted care. FirstService Residential is a subsidiary of FirstService Corporation (NASDAQ and TSX: FSV), a North American leader in providing essential property services to a wide range of residential and commercial clients.
Business Standard
07-08-2025
- Business
- Business Standard
The Cascades Neopolis in Hyderabad Becomes World's Largest and India's Only Residential Project to Achieve WELL Pre-Certification
VMPL Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], August 7: As a major boost for India's real estate aspirations to focus on residents' wellness and a matter of pride for the vibrant city of Hyderabad, The Cascades Neopolis has been awarded the WELL v2 Pre-Certification Platinum by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). This distinction makes The Cascades Neopolis both India's first and the world's largest residential development to receive this globally acclaimed recognition. While WELL is the world's first building standard to focus entirely on how our surroundings impact physical and mental health, IWBI is the global authority that develops and administers the WELL Building Standard to advance health and wellness-centric design. For the uninitiated, The Cascades Neopolis is a ₹3169-Crore 63-storey 217m tall mega residential project of GHR Lakshmi Urbanblocks Infra LLP, a visionary joint consortium by the promoters of GHR Infra, Lakshmi Infra, and Urbanblocks Realty, which are legacy realty companies that are primarily operating in Hyderabad. How this certification matters for residents' wellbeing As part of the WELL evaluation, The Cascades Neopolis was assessed across ten inter-related concepts that directly shape occupants' well-being: air, water, nourishment, light, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, mind, and community. The residents will experience enhanced indoor air quality through advanced filtration and ventilation systems, maximised natural light and daylight penetration, and materials carefully selected to minimise emissions and support respiratory health. Temperature and acoustic controls have been integrated to reduce stress and fatigue, and the overall layout encourages movement, mindfulness, and interactions with fellow residents. Every element of the design has been calibrated to promote a lifestyle of greater balance and vitality. Wellness-centric living standards not envisioned before in India While our country has seen commercial spaces embrace WELL principles in the past, The Cascades Neopolis has pioneered the vision for residential projects to set high standards that facilitate healthier living. The project will represent a fundamental shift in the design of residential communities, anchored not just in comfort and convenience, but also in purpose-built wellness. It is not only a testament to what's possible in today's world, but also a blueprint for how the homes of tomorrow can be built. "With a built-up area of 5.43 million square feet, more than double the size of the next-largest WELL precertified residential community, The Cascades Neopolis will likely have many first-of-its-kind accomplishments or features. Just to name a few, the project is designed to deliver 42 percent water savings through full-scale rainwater harvesting and cut annual energy use by 30 percent with solar and high-efficiency systems. During construction, 95 percent of the debris will be recycled. 30 percent of parking bays will be equipped with EV chargers--setting a new global benchmark for healthy, future-ready living," said Juzer S. Kothari, the Managing Director of Conserve Consultants (P) Ltd. (the firm that partnered with Cascades Neopolis to secure both WELL v2 Pre-Certification Platinum and IGBC Green Homes Platinum standards). "When architects, engineers, realty consultants, and sustainability experts joined forces, our goal was to reshape residential living through deep design thinking. As you step into your home, you benefit from cleaner air, abundant natural light, and thoughtfully crafted spaces for well-being--backed by WELL v2 Pre-Certification Platinum and IGBC Green Homes Platinum. The milestone underscores the project's leadership in shaping future-ready living spaces that go beyond conventional luxury, and having a vision to prioritize well-being of residents, environmental responsibility, and community-centric design," a joint statement was released from the three designated partners of the GHR Lakshmi Urbanblocks Infra LLP, Mr. Karteesh Reddy M (representing GHR Infra), Mr. Lakshmi Narayana G (representing Lakshmi Infra), and Mr. Sharat V, (representing Urbanblocks Realty). About GHR Lakshmi Urbanblocks Infra LLP: GHR Lakshmi Urbanblocks Infra LLP is a dynamic joint venture formed by three seasoned developers - GHR Infra, Lakshmi Infra, and Urbanblocks Realty. Each partner brings high trust, a strong track record, and extensive expertise in Hyderabad's real estate landscape - they are collectively committed to delivering iconic and sustainable developments that redefine urban living. The launch of The Cascades, their first project, aligns perfectly with Hyderabad's impressive real estate market, particularly within the luxury segment. The project aims to be unlike no other and will be a testament to harmonious blend of luxury, technology, sustainability, and an evolved and enriching lifestyle.
Hans India
02-08-2025
- Business
- Hans India
Cascades Neopolis gets Well Platinum pre-certification
As a major boost for India's real estate aspirations to focus on residents' wellness and a matter of pride for the vibrant city of Hyderabad, The Cascades Neopolis has been awarded the WELL v2 Pre-Certification Platinum by the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). This distinction makes The Cascades Neopolis both India's first and the world's largest residential development to receive this globally acclaimed recognition. While WELL is the world's first building standard to focus entirely on how our surroundings impact physical and mental health, IWBI is the global authority that develops and administers the WELL Building Standard to advance health and wellness-centric design. For the uninitiated, The Cascades Neopolis is a Rs3169-crore 63-storey 217m tall mega residential project of GHR Lakshmi Urbanblocks Infra LLP, a visionary joint consortium by the promoters of GHR Infra, Lakshmi Infra, and Urbanblocks Realty, which are legacy realty companies that are primarily operating in Hyderabad. As part of the WELL evaluation, The Cascades Neopolis was assessed across ten inter-related concepts that directly shape occupants' well-being: air, water, nourishment, light, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, mind, and community. The residents will experience enhanced indoor air quality through advanced filtration and ventilation systems, maximised natural light and daylight penetration, and materials carefully selected to minimise emissions and support respiratory health. Temperature and acoustic controls have been integrated to reduce stress and fatigue, and the overall layout encourages movement, mindfulness, and interactions with fellow residents.
Leaders
29-07-2025
- Health
- Leaders
Saudi Arabia's Pavilion Receives Exclusive WELL Health-Safety Rating at Expo 2025 Osaka
Saudi Arabia's Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka has been awarded the prestigious WELL Health-Safety Rating, making it the only international pavilion to achieve this recognition so far. The certificate was formally presented during a ceremony at the pavilion, where Saudi Ambassador to Japan and Commissioner General of the Saudi Pavilion, Dr. Ghazi Binzagr, received the honor from Jack Noonan, Senior Vice President of the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI). Commitment to Sustainability, Excellence Dr. Binzagr noted that the WELL certification reflects the Kingdom's dedication to sustainable architecture and operational excellence. He highlighted that implementing WELL Building standards promotes employee well-being and enhances the overall visitor experience. The WELL Health-Safety Rating is part of the globally respected WELL Building Standard, which focuses on improving health and well-being in built environments. Grounded in scientific research, it evaluates spaces based on design features, operational procedures, and policies that support health, happiness, and productivity. The IWBI oversees this certification to ensure impartial assessment and validation. Pavilion Built for Future Designed by Foster + Partners and inspired by traditional Saudi villages, the pavilion integrates a range of sustainable features, such as renewable energy systems, low-carbon materials, and a modular façade with removable stone panels to reduce environmental impact. Achieving this certification underscores the pavilion's adherence to global benchmarks for temporary structures, particularly in areas that affect human health—including air and water quality, nutrition, lighting, physical activity, comfort, and mental well-being. Related Topics: CDF Explores Culture's Power to Inspire, Educate at Expo 2025 Osaka Culture Minister Inaugurates Saudi Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka Saudi Arabia Launches Culture Week at Expo 2025 Osaka Saudi Pavilion Welcomes 1 mln Visitors at Expo 2025 Osaka Short link : Post Views: 6
