Workplace Matters: WELL Benefits for Guests and Employees

Workplace Matters is an editorial series which explores thought-provoking and knowledge-based opinions on the workplace. This monthly series sparks meaningful conversations and shapes workplace design discourse.

Workplace Matters continues with a thought-provoking perspective of Timna Rose, founder of studio ATARA, who shares the benefits of addressing WELL in hospitality settings for the guest and the staff.

‘When I walk into a hospitality space – whether it’s a boutique hotel, a wellness retreat, or even a thoughtfully designed café – I immediately think about how it feels to be there. The atmosphere, the energy, the subtle details that either make you want to linger or leave quickly! For me, this is where holistic interior design comes alive – it’s about creating spaces that nurture not only the guests who visit, but also the staff who bring these places to life every single day.

Hospitality is an industry built on experience, and design plays such a powerful role in shaping that. For visitors, a space that is light-filled, connected to nature, and beautifully balanced can evoke calm, joy, or inspiration. But what’s often overlooked is the workforce behind the scenes.
Thoughtful design here can have a direct impact on productivity, job satisfaction, staff retention, and even absenteeism. A restaurant kitchen with good ventilation, a busy hotel reception with restorative staff areas, or a retail space with acoustics that reduce stress – all of these elements
matter.

In one project, introducing biophilic elements and better ventilation into a hotel’s back-of-house areas led to noticeable improvements in staff energy levels and engagement – a simple but powerful reminder that wellbeing begins with design. Studies show that improving natural light and ventilation in staff areas can reduce absenteeism by up to 20%, while also boosting morale and efficiency – proving that thoughtful design is not just aesthetic, but a measurable business advantage.

This is where the WELL Building Standard becomes invaluable. WELL provides a framework for measuring and improving the factors that directly impact human health and experience – air, water, light, thermal comfort, movement, and more. My consultancy is rooted in this framework, guiding organisations through the process of aligning with WELL and, if they choose, achieving certification. It’s a journey that not only benefits staff and visitors, but also signals to the wider world that a business is serious about health, sustainability, and excellence.

Of course, my approach is also deeply intertwined with biophilic design. Hospitality and biophilia are a perfect symbiosis. Nature-driven spaces don’t just look beautiful – they create an environment where people feel grounded, connected, and calm. Think of a hotel lobby infused with natural materials and greenery, or a spa that mirrors the rhythms of the natural world.

These are the kinds of spaces that stay with you long after you’ve left.

I’ll be speaking about this and more at the Independent Hotel Show 6th October 2025 on the panel “Beyond the Spa – Nature Driven Wellness.” Because for me, holistic interior design in hospitality isn’t just about creating somewhere to stay, eat, or shop. It’s about shaping environments that invigorate, balance, and connect us – to ourselves, to others, and to the natural world around us.’

Timna Rose, founder of studio ATARA

Timna Rose is a holistic interior designer, WELL Accredited Professional, and founder of studio ATARA, a design studio focused on sustainable, human-centric interiors, within the hospitality and wellness industries. Championing biophilic design with a circular approach, studio ATARA specialises in creating spaces that actively enhance wellbeing while meeting rigorous environmental and ESG standards.

The studio’s work is informed by the WELL Building Standard, which evaluates buildings across ten key concepts, including air, water, light, sound and materials. They apply this evidence-based framework to deliver interiors that are both performance-driven and deeply restorative. Whether at initial design phases, consulting on sustainable procurement, or WELL certification strategy, Timna brings a holistic, systems-thinking approach that merges design innovation with environmental stewardship.

Through cross-disciplinary collaboration with architects, developers, and wellness consultants, Timna helps organisations align their physical environments with broader goals – from health and equity to circular economy and carbon impact. She champions social sustainability as a core pillar of design while demonstrating how health-focused, restorative environments can also contribute to measurable business benefits, including improved employee productivity, reduced absenteeism, and up to 28% increases in workplace satisfaction and performance.

She is passionate about holistic design as a purposeful force for good, crafting breath-taking interiors that are also resilient, responsive, and rooted in care for both people and planet.