Plants in your workspace
Research done by New University of Technology Sydney has found strong evidence supporting the benefits of office plants for reducing stress and negative moods. Plants were found to promote wellbeing, and therefore, potentially performance. People who had plants placed in their offices showed reductions in stress levels and negative feelings. Importantly, just one office plant was enough to make all the difference.
Read the research paper.
CIPHR goes into detail about the benefits of having a workplace plant:
Reduce stress:
Introducing plants to your working environment reduces stress. Work environments appear more calming and simply a nicer place to be when plants are present. They are more interesting, colourful and relaxing. The effects aren’t just psychological either, physiological effects such as lowered blood pressure are also proven benefits of a greener office. Plants also enable us to perceive our surroundings better, we feel more comfortable and this, in turn, reduces stress.
Increase productivity:
Productivity is known to be improved in an environment were plants are present. Cognitive tasks, concentration and focus are all improved, therefore increasing productivity within the workforce. In numerous studies conducted it has been found that fewer mistakes are made and tasks are completed faster. The higher level of concentration can be attributed to the plants ability to reduce excess carbon dioxide in the air.
Cleaner air to breathe:
By introducing a ratio of 1 plant per 3 employees, air quality can be improved within the office. CO2 can be reduced by 50% as well as a reduction in the dust, bacteria and mould which would otherwise be inhaled by employees. Dust levels in the workplace can be reduced by up to 20 per cent when plants are introduced. There are also man made toxins within an office created by plastics, paint, furniture, carpets, and certain cleaning products that will be reduced significantly by plants.
With correct placement of plants, the need for air con can also be reduced and the air kept at a higher humidity (up to 20%). By reducing the dry air caused by air conditioning and increasing humidity, illnesses such as tickly coughs are much less common.
Increased creativity:
In one study, plants were seen to increase creativity by 15%. One theory suggests that plants being present invoke our ancient instincts that there is food nearby (berries, fruit etc) and so we relax, become calmer, are happier and more creative.
