According to a 2017 Gallup survey, nearly three-quarters of employed U.S. adults plan to work past the average retirement age of 66 years old. Given this trend, architecture firms are taking measures to support their more seasoned employees’ well-being and performance. Here, ARCHITECT contributor Jeff Link talks to do design practitioners, a human resources director, and a research psychologist who offer advice for empowering this generation of workers.
Create Ergonomic, Active Workplaces
For Richard Marietta, AIA, senior principal at Baltimore-based Design Collective, his firm’s competitiveness in the Mid-Atlantic region along with its commitment to sustainability initiatives have motivated him to stay on. (The 71-year-old plans to retire this year.) But passion isn’t the only thing that has kept him engaged in his later years. Ergonomic chairs and adjustable-height desks that accommodate sitting or standing have made his office a comfortable place to spend eight—or more—hours a day.
When he feels stressed or has a headache, a low-lit, private wellness room offers refuge. “If you have an issue that would [otherwise] prevent the continuation of the workday, there’s a space where you can go and still get your work done,” Marietta says.
