For many of us, our workplace can be dark, depressing and dull. Windowless rooms and airless open-plan floors can kill motivation and cause a loss to worker performance, possibly even their health.

But a refreshing trend is taking root in workplace design: nature. There’s a growing evidence showing that workplaces which include natural elements, such as plants, light, colors and shapes, have noticeable and measurable benefits for both companies and their employees.

The positive effects touch on everything from worker happiness and creativity to increased productivity, improved profits, and the improved ability to attract the best workers. It’s all based on the principle of biophilia (亲生命性) — the born relationship between humans and the natural world and other living systems. And it’s easier to achieve at the office than you think.

“People just don’t like using lights in a building with no plants, no views, no natural light,” says Sir Cary Cooper CBE, professor at Lancaster University in the UK . He led a 2015 study on the impact of biophilia in the workplace that surveyed 7,600 workers in 16 countries and found that even small nature-inspired changes can have a great effect.

Responding to the Human Spaces Global Report, those who worked in environments with natural elements reported a 15% higher level of well-being, a 6% higher level of productivity and a 15% higher level of creativity. One third of them said the design of an office would affect their decisions to work for a company. Even so, 58% said there were no live plants at their workplaces and 47% reported having no natural light.

An earlier, 2014 study by Cardiff University in Wales also showed that plants in the office make people happier and more productive. But more research is needed into biophilia, experts say.

Yold

The year 2020 marks the beginning of the decade of the yold, or the “young old”, as the Japanese call people aged between 65 and 75. By continuing to work and staying socially engaged, the boomers, in their new appearance as the young old, will change the world.

The yold are more numerous, healthier and wealthier than previous generations of seniors.

【小题1】Of the 3.7 years of increased life expectancy in rich countries between 2000 and 2015, says the WHO, 3.2 years were enjoyed in good health. Working is one of the factors that are helping people stay healthy longer. A German study found that people who remain at work after the normal retirement age manage to slow the cognitive (认知的) decline. The yold are also better off, while the wealth of all other age groups declined.

The yold are challenging the traditional expectations of the retired in many aspects. They won’t wear indoor shoes and look after the grandchildren. 【小题2】They also spend much more, when taking a foreign holiday, than younger adults, so they are vital to the tourism industry. And, because of the importance of pensions, the yold are transforming insurance companies from passive distributors of fixed annuities(年金) to financial service providers for customers who want to manage their pension pots more actively.

【小题3】 Societies should be better off because public spending on health and pensions should be lower than expected, as people work longer and need less medical care.

Today, some big things will have to change, under pressure from the yold themselves. The most important is public attitudes towards older people and in particular the expectation that 60-somethings ought to quietly retire into the background. 【小题4】The yold will demand that companies become more age-friendly and, in the process, help change attitudes towards aging itself.

For generations, we’ve spent the first third of our lives acquiring the college degrees we need to find jobs. These degrees are the stamps on our professional passports that pave the way for the remaining two-thirds of our journey. However, the future of work won’t be about college degrees; it’ll be about job skills.

According to the World Economic Forum, over one billion jobs, almost one-third of all jobs worldwide, are likely to be transformed by technology in the next decade. We’ve already seen this happen. Think of the apps you use to shop, track orders and simply stay informed. The stores need to keep them up and running at all hours, day after day, all year round, meaning they need those who can analyze and secure customer data.

In these and other similar situations, people are the organizing force making sure technology works the way we want it to. This means a quick rise in new kinds of digital jobs. According to the Forum’s Jobs of Tomorrow report, there’ll be a rapid influx of roles at the forefront of the data and AI economy, as well as new roles in engineering, cloud computing and product development. These jobs need talent with relevant skills, and importantly these skills can be learnt even by those without college degrees.

Shifting our focus from degrees to skills will mean transitioning (过渡) to always-on skills-based education and employment organizations that acknowledge not just certification but fitness-for-job and employment as outcomes. In recent years, several companies have focused on continuous learning for the workforce — the trend will become stronger.

When it comes to skills, employers look for more than just technical skills. Companies want people with an eye for detail, creative problem-solving skills, a collaborative mindset and an ability to handle complex issues. These too are skills that can be learnt. Anyhow, lifelong learners with ever relevant skills will be in greater demand in the workplace.