Open Dialogue as a Key to Well-Being: JAJA introduces new policy

For the past six months, we have partnered with the well-being coach Johanne Rosenquist to address the external pressures impacting our team. Through a series of workshops, interviews, and presentations, we have developed a tailored well-being policy aimed at creating a healthy workplace with happy team members.

Supported by the VELLIV Association, our well-being policy promotes a culture where external pressures do not translate into individual stress. The goal of this well-being policy is to emphasize how JAJA Architects is committed to cultivating an environment that fosters job satisfaction and well-being — even during busy periods.

“Our industry has evolved, and as architects, we often face immense pressure from multiple sources. It’s been crucial for us to have open discussions about how to maintain a balance between delivering quality architecture, running a successful business, and ensuring our employees’ well-being,” says Kathrin Gimmel, Partner at JAJA Architects.

These open conversations have been facilitated by Johanne Rosenquist, who brings years of experience in stress management within the creative industry. She conducted interviews with all team members to identify specific challenges and pressures and to better understand our needs when facing external demands.

“As an external consultant, being embedded with the team over an extended period has been invaluable. We’ve been able to tackle everyday challenges and develop a shared language and understanding of what stress is. This program has shown that by collectively taking responsibility for stress, we can create a positive work environment, even during hectic times,” says Johanne Rosenquist.

This message of shared responsibility is one that architect Kasper Dige Larsen believes will fortify the team when external pressures intensify.

“There’s a strong consensus that stress management is a shared responsibility. Management must ensure realistic project goals and prioritize effectively in challenging situations. Team leaders should align expectations clearly, while the team as a whole should support and look out for one another. Each employee also has a role to play by managing their time wisely and voicing concerns when the pressure becomes overwhelming,” says Kasper Dige Larsen, architect at JAJA Architects.

The well-being policy has been communicated to all JAJA employees, and well-being will remain a permanent topic of discussion at future joint meetings.