Have you ever thought about the benefits of having plants in the office? It can easily be dismissed as a splash of colour in an office environment, but it goes much deeper than that. Several studies have shown the various benefits of having plants in the workplace, and we felt that it was worth looking into them. Hopefully, after reading this you will want to fill your office with ferns, fronds and small trees because they benefit both employees and employers.
One of the big benefits of having greenery in the workplace is the reduction in stress. A study by the University of Technology in Sydney found that having plants in the workplace significantly reduced stress levels among workers. Adding plants resulted in a 58% drop in depression or dejection, a 44% decrease in anger and hostility, a 38% reduction in fatigue, and a 37% drop in tension and anxiety. The study had a small sample size, but it is promising results from just a single plant per workspace.
Another study, this one done by the University of Exeter, showed a 15% increase in productivity when a spartan office environment had several houseplants added. At one plant per square meter improved memory retention and employees scored better on basic tests.
Adding plants can also reduce the number of sick days employees take. Having a positive change in the work environment resulted in a better sense of wellbeing, which affected how individuals assessed their state of health. One study by the Agriculture University of Norway showed a 25% decrease in symptoms like fatigue, concentration issues, dry skin and irritation of the nose and eyes.
If that doesn’t sound beneficial enough, there is a good chance that potential hires look at workplace design when finding a job. Having natural elements and natural light were high on the list of things that candidates notice when applying for a job.
Having plants in the office can replenish our attention capacity and focus. The University of Michigan found that nature has modest attention-grabbing qualities, which is very different from the sea of dramatic stimuli in urban environments. Even just viewing pictures of nature could make a difference to attention spans and the ability to focus, so imagine what a wall garden could do for your office?
We mentioned before that urban farming can reduce noise pollution, and the same is true of greenery in the office place. Plants can absorb the noise of an office, rather than letting it echo off hard surfaces. Just add plants to the corners of the room and things won’t seem as loud.
If your office requires creative thinking, you should look at adding plants to the workplace! Stimulating our senses can inspire the flow of ideas, and those bright colours and the scents of plants will help end those creative blocks.
On a practical level, plants can lower the temperature of a building by raising the humidity levels. One study showed that a single tree in the office cooled a building down so much that it would take 20 airconditioners running for 20 hours a day to achieve the same result. That could save your office a lot of energy!
Not only do plants look good in an office, but they appear to offer a whole range of benefits. Cooler temperatures, less noise, reduced stress, better health and more all add to employee wellbeing. Just ask anyone who has a beautiful garden or fills their home with plants and they will tell you just how beneficial they are.