Wellness in the APAC Workplace: The Business Case for Multi-Sensory Design

Imagine walking into a workplace where every sense is considered. The lighting shifts with the rhythm of the day, the air feels fresh and clean, subtle natural sounds create calm focus, and even carefully curated scents transform certain areas into restorative spaces.

This isn’t a futuristic dream, it’s the emerging reality of workplace design in Asia-Pacific. And according to the International WELL Building Institute’s latest report, Investing in Health Pays Back (2nd Edition), the numbers make a compelling case: healthy buildings don’t just improve wellbeing, they deliver tangible returns in productivity, talent retention, and real estate value.

The Evidence: Health = Performance

The IWBI report shows that:

• Soundscaping can reduce wasted employee time by 55%, equating to US $200,000 annual savings for a 100-person company.

• Exposure to natural sounds—such as birdsong and water sounds—boosts cognitive performance by nearly 14%.

• Biophilic workplaces command 5–8% rent premiums and drive productivity gains worth up to US $36,000 per employee per year.

• Employees in WELL Certified buildings report 30% higher satisfaction, 26% higher wellbeing scores, and measurable productivity boosts.

The message is clear: wellness is not a cost centre, it’s an engine of performance.

Why APAC Needs This Now

Across Asia-Pacific, the stakes are high. Australia loses $26 billion annually to presenteeism and $7 billion to absenteeism. Japan and South Korea wrestle with declining productivity linked to stress and long hours. Dense urban hubs from Singapore to Hong Kong battle air quality and limited access to restorative environments.

Here, WELL-aligned strategies offer scalable solutions. As Jack Noonan, VP at IWBI APAC, said in an interview with Stockland:

“Healthy places are no longer a nice-to-have. Asking occupants what they think of their spaces, measuring indoor air quality, making improvements over time, this needs to be the industry norm.”

The Multi-Sensory Frontier

Biophilia in design is no longer just about greenery and sunlight. The frontier is multi-sensory: sound, scent, light, and ergonomics working in harmony to support human performance.

The WELL report specifically highlights the benefits of birdsong and water sounds, which can reduce stress and improve cognitive function. But as many practitioners note, effectiveness depends on context: What kind of birdsong? How loud? How often? In which spaces?

As Evan Benway, CEO of Moodsonic, explains:

“Not all nature sounds are created equal. Birdsong or water can be calming in the right context, but distracting in the wrong one. Successful soundscaping means designing with intent, delivering the right sounds at the right time, in the right place.”

This is why platforms like Moodsonic’s generative soundscaping system are game-changers. They go beyond playlists, using adaptive design to match sounds to activity, whether that’s focus, collaboration, or restoration, ensuring consistent support for wellbeing and productivity.

And olfactory design, once avoided for fear of poor air quality or allergen risks, is also gaining recognition. When deployed with safe, low-VOC products and good ventilation, scent can create restorative spaces, mark transitions, or simply make workplaces feel more human.

Expert Voices

Workplace researcher Libby Sander observed in TechFest:

“When we look at wellbeing, we should be asking whether employees are thriving, not just surviving.”

From the Workplace Innovator podcast, Kyle de Bruin of Leesman added:

“High-performing offices deliver variety in environment and respond to what employees say they need.”

In Australian Design Review, Duncan Harper of Medibank explained:

“We take a human-centric approach to our workplace design … we have a real focus on our people and their wellbeing.”

Kay Sargent of HOK, in her work on neuroinclusive design, puts it succinctly:

“When we design for the extreme, everyone benefits.”

And workplace strategist Simon Long of CBRE has consistently reminded organisations:

“The office is no longer just a place to work, it must be a cultural hub, designed to support health, purpose, and community.”

APAC’s Opportunity

From GSK Melbourne’s WELL Platinum-certified HQ with adaptive soundscapes, to Sheldon’s new Sydney HQ targeting WELL Gold and Green Star, to SAP’s certified Melbourne office and innovative projects in Japan, the region is already leading. CBRE Singapore’s innovation hub further proves that multi-sensory design is firmly on the corporate agenda.

Across these landmark projects, Valeo Technology has played a central role in designing and delivering Moodsonic’s generative soundscaping systems, ensuring that workplaces don’t just add background noise, but integrate evidence-based, context-sensitive soundscapes that enhance wellbeing and performance.

This hands-on experience positions Valeo as one of the few partners in APAC actively helping organisations translate WELL’s research and standards into real, functioning workplaces.

The IWBI report estimates that global adoption of health strategies could unlock $12 trillion in economic value. APAC is positioned to capture a significant share, if leaders act now.

Conclusion: Time to Lead

The evidence is there. The expertise exists. And the APAC market is ready.

The next era of workplace design won’t be defined by square metres or desk ratios, it will be defined by how spaces make people feel, perform, and thrive.

Healthy buildings don’t just pay back, they pay forward, building resilience, creativity, and competitive advantage for years to come.