Working in a Healthy Building Pays Off, New Study Finds

Panasonic EW-led research shows employees in WELL Certified workplaces report significantly higher well-being, engagement and workplace satisfaction than those in non-certified offices.

New York/Tokyo — A new study from the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) and Panasonic Electric Works suggests that healthier buildings may play a far greater role in workplace performance than many organizations realize. Based on surveys from more than 4,200 workers across 41 office projects in Japan, the research found employees in WELL Certified workplaces reported markedly higher levels of well-being, engagement and satisfaction compared to those in non-certified offices.

The New York-based IWBI is the organization that develops and administers the globally adopted WELL Building Standard that serves as a roadmap for organizations in their pursuit of healthier buildings and healthier workplaces. Panasonic Electric Works is an independent, third-party provider of occupant satisfaction surveys for organizations with WELL Certified offices. 

“This study, conducted in collaboration between IWBI and Panasonic EW, provides a comprehensive analysis of WELL Certified offices across Japan,” said Dr. Yoshifumi Murakami, Manager of Well consultant & Service Promotion Dept. at Panasonic EW. “The findings show that WELL Certified workplaces achieved higher performance not only in environmental factors such as air, sound and lighting, but also in workplace experience and organizational environment, contributing to improved employee well-being and engagement. We believe these results reinforce the importance of designing workplaces with well-being.”

The findings demonstrate a clear and consistent performance advantage. Employees in WELL Certified projects reported a 19% increase in overall well-being and a 20% increase in perceived work engagement compared to non-certified buildings. Across the core indoor environmental quality factors examined, those most tied to human health and performance, WELL projects also showed significantly higher satisfaction, including access to nature (+36%), water quality (+26%), indoor air quality (+23%), sound environment (+21%), speech privacy (+21%), thermal comfort (+20%), natural light (+18%) and lighting environment (+13%). Importantly, this performance advantage held even against recently renovated workplaces. WELL Certified offices outperformed recently renovated non-certified offices by 10% in well-being and 8% in engagement, underscoring that renovations alone fail to deliver the same gains in engagement and well-being. 

“This study adds to a rapidly expanding and well-substantiated body of evidence showing that WELL Certified buildings consistently outperform across the very factors that matter most for human health, well-being and performance,” said Rachel Hodgdon, President and CEO, IWBI. “The findings also send a powerful message to organizations everywhere: investing in health is not a cost but a catalyst for stronger performance, deeper engagement and greater organizational resilience.”

Beyond the indoor environment, the study also underscores the broader impact of WELL on workplace experience. Employees in WELL Certified spaces reported higher satisfaction with key workplace culture and design elements, including privacy, psychological safety, social connection and opportunities to rest and recharge throughout the workday. Interior design factors, ranging from layout and furnishings to cleanliness and operational policies, also scored higher, pointing to a more comprehensive and supportive workplace ecosystem.

“While many organizations recognize the importance of well-being, one of the common challenges has been the difficulty in clearly demonstrating its impact and value. This study provides important evidence validating the performance and value of WELL Certified spaces, while also offering meaningful insights to support investment decisions related to workplace well-being.” said Hisashi Hara, Head of Well-Being Business Development Office at Panasonic EW. “Panasonic EW will continue leveraging these findings to support clients in creating healthier, more comfortable and higher-performing workplaces, while helping advance well-being across the Japanese market.”

Further analysis in the study helps dive deeper, explaining what is driving these outcomes. Regression modeling shows that key factors related to refreshing and recharging are a strong contributor to perceived well-being, accounting for 31%, followed by team culture at 16%, indoor environmental quality at 15% and design at 14%. A similar pattern emerges for work engagement, with refreshing and recharging accounting for 18%, team culture 14% and design 14%. The design factors also include the teamwork environment, highlighting the importance of workplace design in supporting collaboration and employee experience. Together, these findings highlight a holistic model of performance where physical conditions, social dynamics and workplace design operate in tandem to support both health and productivity. 

As one of the largest post-occupancy datasets comparing WELL-certified and non-certified offices, the study provides a rigorous, evidence-based rationale for elevating health and well-being as a cornerstone of workplace investment strategies. Taken together, the results mark a fundamental shift toward prioritizing health and well-being as central to driving human performance and organizational resilience. 

About the International WELL Building Institute

The International WELL Building Institute (IWBI) is a public benefit corporation and the global authority for transforming health and well-being in buildings, organizations and communities. In pursuit of its public-health mission, IWBI mobilizes its community through the development and administration of the WELL Building Standard (WELL), WELL for residential, WELL Community Standard, its WELL ratings and management of the WELL AP credential. IWBI also translates research into practice, develops educational resources and advocates for policies that promote people-first places for everyone, everywhere. More information on WELL can be found here.

International WELL Building Institute, IWBI, the WELL Building Standard, WELL v2, WELL Certified, WELL AP, WELL EP, WELL Score, The WELL Conference, We Are WELL, the WELL Community Standard, WELL Health-Safety Rated, WELL Performance Rated, WELL Equity Rated, WELL Equity, WELL Coworking Rated, WELL Residence, Works with WELL, WELL and others, and their related logos are trademarks or certification marks of International WELL Building Institute pbc in the United States and other countries.

Media contact:
media@wellcertified.com

About Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.

Company Name: Panasonic Electric Works Co., Ltd.
Head Office: Panasonic Tokyo Shiodome Building, 1-5-1 Higashi-Shimbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo 105-8301, Japan
Representative: Kiyoshi Otaki
Website: https://panasonic.co.jp/ew/