Stress, resilience, and recovery: assessing a physical restorative space within a multimodal support program for hospital workers

Background The healthcare workforce faces increasing levels of stress and burnout, negatively impacting employee wellbeing and patient outcomes. Restorative spaces have emerged as a potential intervention to support resilience and mental health in high-stress clinical environments. In January 2024, Johns Hopkins Hospital launched the RISE Restorative Space, a cluster of rooms designed to provide employees with opportunities for relaxation, stress reduction, and peer support. Aim To quantify usage of the RISE Restorative Space, assess employees' experiences, and assess the value of maintaining and expanding such spaces for employees and healthcare organizations. Methods An exploratory multi-method design was used to examine patterns of program utilization and employee-reported experiences from January to April 2024. Employee identification badge swipe data was used to measure overall utilization and unique user engagement. A web-based survey was sent to employees who had accessed the space, collecting information on usage patterns, perceived benefits and challenges of using the space, and workplace wellbeing using the Mini Z General assessment. A cost analysis was conducted to estimate cost per user. Results In the first 4 months between January 1 and April 30, 2024, the space was accessed 4,271 times by 823 unique users, with 71.0% returning at least once. Survey data ( N = 296) revealed that employees using the space primarily sought relaxation (47.7%) and positive distraction (42.9%). A total of 34.1% reported experiencing burnout, and 93% of respondents indicated they would recommend the space to colleagues. The cost per unique user was $204, with decreasing costs per use as utilization increased. Conclusion The RISE Restorative Space demonstrated high engagement and positive reception among healthcare employees, suggesting that dedicated spaces for relaxation and peer support may be a valuable investment in workforce wellbeing. Future assessments will explore the longitudinal impact of restorative spaces on employee stress, burnout, and job satisfaction.