Marcos Bish, our Managing Director joined the Dutch Design Center’s breakfast forum on Smart and Healthy Workplaces together with Onno Willemse, Director Business Development Smart Buildings of Royal HaskoningDHV and Jan Arentoft, Managing Director of Royal Ahrend Middle East.

The open breakfast forum was hosted by the Dutch Design Center in the Dubai Design District with each speaker providing a different perspective on smart and healthy workplaces. Onno Willemse presented compelling case studies on how engineering consultants Royal HaskoningDHV have helped businesses analyse an employees’ journey and utilise their workplace’s data to improve their processes and productivity. Whilst, Marcos Bish focussed on how to deliver a sustainable fit out that enhances the workplace environment, and provides social, environmental and economic benefits. Finally, Jan Arentoft shared the benefits of agile working, sustainable furniture and Ahrend’s new smart technological app, PuK, which enables employees to easily find colleagues and available workplaces, making flexible working more productive.

During the concluding Q&A and panel discussion, moderated by Vineetha Mathew Founding Partner of Sustainable Mindz, all speakers were aligned that creating workplaces do enhance employee happiness and productivity should be a top priority for companies. Also, if done well, smart and healthy workplaces can positively impact a company’s bottom line. Employees will be more engaged and work better together, costs will be managed more efficiently, and the company will gain credibility in the market.

2 May 2019

About the author

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Nicola Trivett

General Manager

Nicola has a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design and began her career in Scotland as a Designer before moving into the project management field. She has over 20 year’s experience in the construction industry, and a proven track record of successfully managing multiple projects from design through to delivery that are high quality, on schedule to specification and within budget.