Some downtown Twin Cities offices seek Well certification to attract, retain workers

The first thing a visitor might notice in the Maslon LLP law offices is the floor.

It’s made of real wood, locally sourced white oak, and a marked contrast to the nondescript carpet or vinyl covering most office floors.

Other unique aspects of Maslon’s workspace — located on the 29th through 31st floors of Capella Tower in downtown Minneapolis ― include the abundance of live plants; dimmable LED fixtures that cast softer, warmer light than common overhead fluorescents; and the daylight pouring through large windows and translucent glass panels on office doors.

“People underestimate how rewarding it is to work in natural light,” said Jonathan Septer, a partner at the firm who chairs its Real Estate Group.

For these and numerous other interior design features, Maslon’s offices in April received Well certification from the New York-based International Well Building Institute.

The institute, which launched its certification program in 2014, scores workplaces based on characteristics thought to optimize employee health, well-being, job satisfaction and performance.

Scores cover not just the obvious health indicators like clean air and filtered water but eight additional categories in what the institute calls its “10 pillars”: nourishment, light, movement, thermal comfort, sound, materials, mind and community.

Maslon has a snack machine that dispenses healthy items like salad, boiled eggs and cheese sticks alongside racks of the usual Doritos, M&Ms and the like. Kombucha is available on tap.

Small “wellness rooms” offer privacy for nursing mothers and others. Height-adjustable desks and a grand wood staircase are meant to encourage movement.

“Our office is so much more conducive to getting up and talking to people,” Septer said.

The institute said it based the components of each pillar on extensive research. Indeed, just one of the institute’s many publications, which outlined support for the mind category, contained 426 footnotes.

Maslon, which moved to Capella Tower from its longtime space in Wells Fargo Center last year, is one of 185 Minnesota workplaces the institute said it has evaluated since 2022. That’s when the first local property, the 428 office building in St. Paul, received certification.

Globally, more than 74,000 locations in nearly 140 countries use Well, according to the institute.

The institute points to research, particularly a 2022 Purdue University study published in the Journal of Building and Environment, that used before and after surveys showing Well upgrades improved employees’ satisfaction, health, well-being and productivity.

Surveys of Maslin employees showed their satisfaction increased by more than 15%. More than 85% said working there “has a positive impact on my overall well-being,” according to material from Perkins & Will, the Minneapolis-based design company that oversaw the updates.

Well design and certification can be expensive, but advocates say it’s worth the price.

With all its live plants, Maslon’s plant maintenance budget alone went up about nine times its previous amount, said Suzette Allaire, chief operating and financial officer.

Of course, plants are a small part of the firm’s total operating expenses, she added. But the firm spent money incorporating other Well features into the remodel, along with the fees the Well institute charges for the certification itself.

“Ultimately, we prioritized the Well spend and reduced other areas, resulting in an overall net decrease in total spend per square foot,” Allaire said.

In general, Well certification can cost a workplace upward of about 16 cents per square foot, according to the institute.

“Typically, total costs of certification start from $8,000 and are capped at $98,000 for large buildings,” said Jessica Cooper, the institute’s chief product officer.

But the certification offers a number of returns on the investment, she said.

“These strategies can help reduce absenteeism, attract talent and improve employee retention,” Cooper said. “Ultimately, by fostering healthy workplaces and investing in their people, organizations gain a strategic advantage and boost their bottom line.”

Research by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Real Estate Innovation Lab shows Well certification can increase a building’s rental value between 4.4% to 7% per square foot compared with noncertified neighbors.

Not everyone is convinced Well certification is worth it.

Simona Fischer, an architect and director of sustainable practice at Minneapolis-based MSR Design, said Well focuses too much on the health of people inside a building rather than the health of the surrounding environment.

The fact that Well certification is often compared to the environmentally focused LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification could exacerbate the confusion, Fischer said.

And Well costs more (though is broader and more intensive) than older workplace health certification programs, she said.

Unquestionably, features like clean air and water, movement and healthy food enhance health, said Theresa Glomb, a professor at the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.

But surveys can’t confirm employee satisfaction is a direct result of Well-related upgrades, said Glomb, who specializes in workplace well-being. For example, respondents might just want to show appreciation of their employers’ efforts.

Nor does Well certification capture all the possible reasons people might feel job satisfaction — or lack thereof, she said.

Even with filtered water and natural light, employers “might still be burning people out in terms of the work,” Glomb said.

“If I have a nice space to restore, but my boss is driving me bonkers,” she said. “It doesn’t matter.”