Making wellbeing part of the everyday
Why does wellbeing in the workplace matter to you?
I believe everyone should be able to experience a sense of satisfaction and wellbeing at work. We spend a significant part of our lives with our colleagues, so creating a workplace where people feel respected, supported and able to contribute is simply part of being a good practice.
This has become even more important as the way we work continues to change. Flexible and hybrid working can offer real benefits, but it can also make connection, communication and boundaries harder to navigate. Looking after the wellbeing of staff and colleagues requires a more mindful approach than simply providing a good physical workplace.
Architecture is also a demanding and highly collaborative profession. Our teams are navigating pressures from home and the office, alongside clients, consultants, contractors and the many relationships that are fundamental to delivering a project. Having a strong, supportive foundation within the practice helps people navigate those pressures and, hopefully, gives them the confidence to ask for help when they need it.
For me and Kirby Architects, wellbeing is about more than avoiding stress. It is about creating an environment where people feel valued, where conversations about mental health are normalised, and where we can share knowledge and experiences without stigma. Our move to the ACA Employee Assistance Program is part of that commitment.
Ultimately, the way we care for people in our workplace reflects the way we want to be treated more broadly with respect, empathy and care.
What wellbeing initiatives or programs (formal or informal) have you put in place to support your people?
Some of our wellbeing initiatives are quite informal. Our ‘Innovation Days’ have evolved into a more relaxed opportunity to share ideas, talk about great design, Art, furniture, buildings and outdoor spaces over lunch or dinner together. It’s simply about creating some space to talk and connect. We also make time for informal conversations and downtime when people are in the office. Those everyday moments of connection are important. Being a small practice allows the fluidity of this approach. I am not sure it would be as organic in larger practices.
One of the things we still do daily is what we call our Daily 3 Things. Sometimes there’s a negative connotation around the word productivity (long hours), as though it is about getting every last bit of output from people. We try to refocus this to have a sense of satisfaction around a daily grind. For me, being productive is actually about feeling that I have achieved something meaningful in my day. It gives me a sense of satisfaction. So, each morning we come together and, out loud, nominate the three things we want to focus on achieving that day. I find I do this even when working from home. It may be a lone large item I break down into bits (with the reward being coffee time!) I even do it on the weekend if the goal is to read a book and relax… it’s about acknowledging and rewarding.
We also have the opportunity to touch on our mood and set an intention for the day. It is a simple touchpoint, but it gives everyone an opportunity to say what they are working on, set goals that are achievable rather than overly ambitious, and identify where they might need help or input from the team.
Just as importantly, it gives us an opportunity to celebrate when something is finished. It creates a shared awareness of what everyone is doing and makes it easier to ask for help, get involved in someone else’s work, or simply acknowledge an achievement.
The whole process takes around half an hour, but it also creates space for a bit of conversation and connection, particularly because everyone may have started their day at different times. It is a small, everyday practice that helps us stay connected, focused and realistic about what we can achieve.
What prompted your practice to make wellbeing a priority, and how do you make wellbeing part of the day-to-day culture of the practice?
My interest in workplace wellbeing grew through becoming aware of the Architects Mental Wellbeing Forum (AMWF) and the work of architect and author Ben Channon’s book Happy by Design: A Guide to Architecture and Mental Wellbeing (2019). The ACA had developed an Australian version of the AMWF after meeting Ben at Parlour’s Transformations conference. When I was in the UK I met Ben for coffee and talked about building on the awareness he brought to mental health in our profession. (He was open, warm and grateful to help.)
Wellbeing needs to be part of the culture of a practice rather than a separate initiative. For us, that means creating regular opportunities to check in with each other, talk about how we are feeling, share what we are working on and recognise when someone might need support. It’s about normalising the conversation. We don’t always need to have a solution. Sometimes simply creating the space to ask “How are you going?” and genuinely listening is an important part of looking after each other.
What initiative or change has had the greatest impact, and what have you learned from implementing it?
The Daily 3 Things has probably had the greatest impact. It gives me permission to speak frankly about how I’m travelling that day, which in turn helps frame how the team interprets my responses and actions. If I share that ‘I’m tired (because of abc)’ or ‘under the pump’, people understand that if I’m short, distracted or don’t respond within the timeframe they might expect, it isn’t about them. Equally, if I say I’m in a learning mood, it can be a great opportunity to open up new conversations and ideas. I’ve learned that simply being open about where you’re at can remove a lot of unnecessary assumptions and create a more understanding team environment.
What support structures are in place for practice owners when they are dealing with difficult periods, such as financial pressure, workload challenges or staff issues?
The ACA has been instrumental in normalising the idea that practice owners can talk openly to each other about the challenges we face. The AMWF WhatsApp group that began during lockdown, the monthly morning coffee catch-ups and, importantly, the ACA EAP have all provided valuable support.
For me, having both peer connection and confidential professional support has been important. Practice owners can often feel that they need to have all the answers, so creating spaces where we can simply talk is valuable in itself.
What have you changed about the way the practice works to reduce unnecessary stress or pressure?
The biggest change is probably that we are more aware of how people are travelling and feel comfortable responding to it. If someone is under pressure or having a difficult day, it gives us the opportunity to say, ‘Go and get some sunshine or fresh air’, or simply take a break without feeling that they have to push through.
We also try to actively plan around things that we know might create additional pressure. One of our staff members has a wedding coming up, for example, and we are all excited for her. We are planning ahead together so that she can enjoy the lead-up with confidence that her work is under control and that everything will be okay while she is away.
For me, reducing unnecessary stress is often about seeing it coming, talking about it and planning around it, rather than waiting until someone is overwhelmed.
What prompted your practice to sign up for the ACA’s EAP service, and what has been your experience with the service?
Our relationship with the ACA EAP is a little different to most because I was involved in the groundwork that established the service availability with the ACA. A key motivation was recognising that traditional EAP services were often financially out of reach for the small and medium-sized practices that make up such a large part of our profession. Through my work with the ACA and the Architects Mental Wellbeing Forum, I was keen to see mental health support move beyond awareness and become something that practices could actually access and use.
Having helped establish the collective EAP, it was important to us to become a participating practice ourselves. I have since used the service personally and found it very valuable. Being able to speak confidentially with someone who is non-judgemental and understands the particular pressures of running a practice has been extremely helpful.
For me, that has been the real measure of the EAP. It is not just a resource we can offer our staff; it is support that practice owners can genuinely use too. It makes asking for assistance feel much more accessible and normal.
Staff have also told me that the EAP app and online resources have been useful, sometimes simply to become aware of an issue before it becomes a problem, and at other times to find specific advice or guidance when they need it.