Innovation
8 Innovative Office Perks Designed to Make You Happier at Work
For Employee Health & Fitness Month, we're taking you on a behind-the-scenes tour of some of Johnson & Johnson's most forward-thinking office spaces. A round of indoor golf, anyone?
By the year 2020, Johnson & Johnson aims to have the healthiest workforce in the world.
To reach this goal, the company has made a commitment to provide its 125,000+ employees with the benefits, training and other support they may need to make healthier choices, live healthier lives and achieve their personal best.
And that includes unique work spaces designed with one goal in mind: encourage healthy behaviors.
From an energy space in Malaysia to an on-site woodland walking trail in the U.K., these eight novel Johnson & Johnson campus amenities were created to help reduce stress, foster social interaction—and even get employees out into nature.
Beach volleyball court, Beerse, Belgium
The 4,600 employees at the company's Janssen campus in Beerse have plenty of opportunities for fun in the sun on their volleyball court. In addition to scheduled matches at two levels of competition—white-belt (for beginners) and green-belt (pros)—teams can reserve time to practice on the court around lunchtime and at the end of the workday.
Beyond providing a way for employees to get fresh air and exercise, “the matches foster social interaction and engagement—not just among the players, but also for the employees who come out to support the various teams,” says Yuri Martens, Workplace Experience Lead for the Europe, Middle East and Africa regions.
Miniature golf course, Zug, Switzerland
Employees traveling between the Sky wing and Garden wing of the Zug campus can take a quick break to practice their putt. Indeed, the connecting bridge holds a four-hole miniature golf course with a fake lawn and wooden obstacles.
“The local team took something functional—a bridge—and turned it into a healthy community space,” Martens says. “The golf course gives employees a way to reduce stress and take a break during the day. When you’re stuck on a certain task, just getting away from your desk and doing something completely different can help stimulate creative thinking.”
Employee garden, Skillman, N.J.
New Jersey’s official motto is “The Garden State.” So the company's Skillman campus decided to bring that slogan to life by making dozens of garden plots available to employees (there are more than 60 people gardening on about 50 active plots) to grow whatever vegetables and flowers they choose.
Beyond the fresh produce, the garden provides ample opportunities for fresh air and exercise. It also fosters goodwill among colleagues. “When I realize I have a bumper crop, I get a kick out of leaving a few vegetables here and there on people’s desks,” says Kurt Reynertson, Manager of Regulatory & Stewardship Policy. “Who doesn’t want a beautiful heirloom tomato or two?”
Woodland walking trail, Pinewood, U.K.
A wide body of research shows that people have less stress, better cognitive function, more creativity and greater well-being when they have opportunities to connect with nature. Thanks to the half-mile woodland walking trail at Johnson & Johnson's Pinewood campus in Wokingham, U.K., employees can immerse themselves in a wild, natural environment just steps from their office.
Along the way, signage provides information about local animals and plants, and a seating area allows for rest and contemplation. Employees can even schedule “walking meetings” to get in some exercise while discussing business at the same time.
Energy space, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
“Many of our employees already have access to fitness machines elsewhere, so they wanted something different at the office,” explains Yen Li Choy, HR Knowledge Center Leader. That something different translated into an Energy Space, where Kuala Lumpur employees can sign up for weekly dance and yoga classes, relax in a massage chair or play a game of foosball.
“Personally, I enjoy taking part in the yoga class," adds Yen Li. "After a long day of work, it energizes me and helps me be at my best when I go home to my family.”
Treadmill and bicycle desks, Irvine, Calif.
At Johnson & Johnson's Irvine campus, every employee has access to sit/stand desks and walk/bike workstations, so they can fit in mini-workouts throughout the day.
“They say sitting is the new smoking,” says Samantha Belhumeur, Project Management Office Coordinator. “The treadmill desks and bicycle workstations give employees the option to pace or pedal through a conference call. We even have a couple of treadmill desks next to each other, so you could have a meeting with a colleague while getting in your 10,000 steps.”
Beehives, Issy-les-Moulineaux, France
At the Issy-les-Moulineaux site in the suburbs of Paris, two beehives were installed to benefit the environment by facilitating the pollination of local plants. They also encourage people to get in touch with nature, and help the community, too.
Several employees help take care of the bees and participate in harvesting the honey—in recent years, the hives have yielded between 130 and 200 pounds of the sweet stuff. It is then sold to staffers, and the funds raised from the sales are donated to benefit a local patient association.
Group fitness classes, Shanghai, China
The Shanghai office is home to Johnson & Johnson’s largest fitness center in the Asia Pacific region. The site's 2,000 employees have access to a wide selection of equipment—like tennis tables!—and expert instructors teach group classes, including a spin class, complete with pulsating disco lights.
“These sorts of fun classes get people energized, and align with our vision of having the healthiest workforce,” says Daisylyn Edades, Director, Global Health Services Asia Pacific.