ESPLAN’s Office on Järvevana Road

We tend to work most happily — and effectively — in environments where we feel good. That’s why employee well-being is receiving more attention than ever before. But what actually makes a good workplace? Is it a high-end coffee machine, a ping-pong table, or even nap pods — the kinds of perks often used by startups to attract talent? Or is it something deeper?

For the engineering and design company ESPLAN, designing their new office space meant going beyond trends. They chose a science-based approach to workplace planning — one that would boost employee satisfaction and elevate performance even further.

For CEO Kadi Metsmaa, investing in thoughtful workplace design is more than just a forward-looking, evidence-based strategy — it reflects the company’s values. Before making key decisions, ESPLAN gathered detailed internal data and consulted with a workplace happiness advisor. One core conclusion emerged: the office should be designed together with the people who will use it. After all, employees are most productive in environments that genuinely reflect their needs.

The companies of the future will be those that understand the value of employee happiness — and realize that even small, well-targeted changes can significantly enhance well-being and productivity. When people are happy at work, their performance improves, leading to greater success for the business as a whole.

But employee happiness and well-being shouldn’t be viewed as a means to an end. Rather, they represent a holistic and human-centered mindset — one that forward-thinking companies will embrace as the foundation for how they operate.