Responding to Malcolm Anson’s recent article on controls, Wellbeing is your business, Gavin Holvey, UK and Ireland sales manager at Priva UK commented: “The recent award of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine to the scientists who discovered how our circadian rhythm works, has reinforced what many in the field of wellness have been saying; that staff wellbeing should be a priority for businesses large and small.

“The lighting industry has already taken this to heart, and is urging its customers to understand the connection between light and wellbeing. The controls industry must also take wellness into its consciousness when advising clients on how best to ensure the optimum working environment for their staff. We support the BCIA’s call for action across the industry.

“Figures released in September 2017 by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) reveal that UK workers spend an average of 37.6 hours week at work. However, a recent overtime survey conducted by totallymoney.com showed that they also put in 8.4 hours of overtime each week, which adds up to 68 days of unpaid work each year. In addition, in 2016 sick days cost businesses in the UK £137 million.”

Mr Holvey continued: “We support the BCIA’s call for architects, developers and building managers to become familiar with the tenets of the WELL Building Standard when designing office space. The WELL Building Standard’s aim is to improve human health and well-being through the built environment.

“If more influencers put healthy buildings on the corporate agenda, the results could be remarkable. Indeed, in a study of a WELL certified office building, 92 percent of employees said that it had a positive effect on their health and wellbeing. That can only be a positive for business as well.”