Community and wellbeing in the perfect environment

The environment and wellbeing are two of Lakeside’s core values – from creating the right atmosphere for our occupier community, to delivering a focus on sustainability. We all know that creating a relaxed office environment is essential if companies are to attract and retain staff. But what’s the right approach to take? At Lakeside, the site management team are working towards WELL accreditation. The International WELL Building Institute awards this standard to organisations that prioritise their employees’ wellbeing in their decision making.

Lakeside’s Estate Manager, Ian Cox, explains further, ‘WELL certification has been around for 10 years and is a high priority for us. We want to create a better working environment for all our colleagues and WELL guides organisations in the right direction. An assessor reviews a business’ operations from cleaning and hygiene standards, to air quality, business resilience, disaster planning, promotion of wellness and mental health, water quality and emergency training. Once accredited, you’re audited at regular intervals to verify that you’re abiding by the regulations outlined in the standard.’

He continues, ‘We have a series of policies, processes and procedures that all staff and contractors have to follow. For example, our environmental policy ensures that everyone considers the impact of their activities when they’re working on site – something that is so important to us at Lakeside.’

Managing a 130 acre site with multiple buildings is no easy task, so how do the team maintain it so well? Ian continues, ‘We have a landscaping team who look after the site grounds all year round. They ensure the campus looks first-rate, whilst allowing space for nature and wildlife to thrive too. Our onsite M&E team are constantly looking for opportunities to improve efficiencies, and the rest of the team, from security and front of house to cleaners, work around the clock to bring the very best experience for our occupiers. We are all here to help.’

The campus is constantly evolving to meet the needs of its diverse community of occupiers. Over the last year, the campus has seen major improvements to it’s operational efficiency, from replacing the BMS to installing the latest energy reduction technology, and we’ve seen a refurbishment of The Hub, Lakeside’s meeting and café space.

Do you have any suggestions for the team? Ian says, ‘We’re always available to discuss any areas that could be improved or any ESG initiatives that our occupiers may be working on too. Lakeside is all about collaboration, and to drive sustainable change, we all need to work together.’