Return On Design Investment: Quality Of Life
Jennifer Brown
Typically, when people hear the term ROI, they think about purchasing a big piece of equipment. But when it comes to clients, they need to understand that design is an investment that yields a significant return on time, money, and quality of life. We at Decca Design Inc. like to call that RODI, Return On Design Investment. This is an excellent way to explain it to commercial customers looking to invest in the renovation of their business.
In part three of this three-part series, we’ll cover the hardest benefit to quantify: quality of life. You can find parts one and two here if you missed them.
Ask your client if they’re excited to go to the office, if their workspace inspires them, if the environment supports the staff in their effectiveness in their jobs. We don’t always relate our built environment to our state of well-being, but it can have a considerable effect. When you’re not inspired in your workspace, it affects energy, level of motivation, and ultimately, happiness. An inspirational work environment contributes to excitement and performance. We’re all more productive in an inspirational workspace that we’re proud to occupy eight hours a day.
Employers want their staff to want to come to work. Ask your customer if they have ever looked around and wondered where everyone is, only to find out they just popped out to grab a latte? Adding a coffee bar in the staff space that provides great coffee can save the staff time, nurture company culture, and promote collaboration. It saves time, which in turn saves money.
Ask the client to evaluate how their current space makes them feel and how they want it to feel. Ensure it supports mental and physical health and overall well-being. The team will interact more positively with peers and clients when they have more energy and enthusiasm. Even more importantly, they will be happier and healthier. This happiness will spread throughout all aspects of their lives.
As an authority in clinic design, we witness how great design can increase staff efficiency, help track inventory, and increase the number of patients seen in a day. This benefits the clinic’s bottom line and supports positive patient experiences, ensuring they return again and again, bringing stability to the practice. Design impacts every aspect of life by removing barriers, so you are free to live your best life.
Jennifer is the Principal Designer at Decca Design Inc. She has an extensive background in design, art, and business. She also earned her LEED professional credentials (LEED AP ID+C). This advanced knowledge in green building means she can design healthy, durable homes and commercial spaces that use fewer resources and produce less waste.