Throughout human history, our lives have been intertwined with plants. While we’ve had an impact on plants, they’ve also quietly influenced us. Nowadays, we tend to be quite isolated from the natural world, spending most of our time working indoors. For instance, a study conducted reveals that office workers spend over 90% of their time indoors and inhale an average of 10800 - 11000 liters of air each day. Now consider this: Many employees enter their sterile office spaces and wonder why they lack motivation and productivity. We’re here to tell you that the reason may be poor Air Quality in your workspace, influencing your employees' and colleagues' mental health.
If you are interested in what falls under the Indoor Air Quality term, read one of our best articles from the head of R&PD Erfan.
Many employers invest substantial sums in office furniture and decorations that accumulate dust, leading to higher levels of Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC). Yet, they often overlook simple solutions like biophilic design, which can strike a balance between improved Air quality and visual appeal with greenery. This can be effectively demonstrated through the implementation of green walls, or so-called vertical gardens, where pots are hung or assembled on the wall.
What are the benefits of having plants in your office?
1. Green Therapy at Work: the impact of plants on stress reduction
A study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology showed that when employees are completing tasks on a computer they often feel uncomfortable, restless, and disconnected from nature. To counteract this and improve the mental health of office workers by reducing psychological stress, companies can invest in office plants to create green spaces. The study showed that the people felt the opposite after being exposed to the plants. Instead of feeling technostress, an often occurring modern disease of adaptation caused by the inability to cope with the new computer technologies healthily, the test subjects felt comfortable, soothed, and natural after being exposed to potted plants in indoor spaces.
2. Plants for Positivity: the impact of plants on overall mood and wellbeing
The interaction with indoor plants brings positive feelings and has direct positive effects on the human stress response, which is mediated by the cardiovascular system. This happens by suppressing sympathetic activity, which normally increases when humans are exposed to a stressor. These physiological benefits come from multiple natural stimuli acting on the senses of vision, hearing, touch, and smell. The same effect is also seen in forest therapy research.
3. Cognitive function: the impact of plants on the mind
The positive effects of plants are not limited to stress reduction. In another study by the American Society for Horticultural Science, researchers were able to back up the existing research on the mental health benefits of office plants on people. They confirmed that the presence of ornamental plants is associated with efficiency. Furthermore, they also found out that some employees looked at the plants to find inspiration for difficult tasks, which shows that plants can improve creative task performance.
The findings of these studies are consistent with our data presented in Market Monthly Overview reports, gathered with sensors, the OxygenX dashboard, and surveys. It shows that through the presence of plants, employers have the chance to support their office workers by creating a productive boosting, stress-reducing, and inspiring work environment. The positive effects lead to improved attention, memory, and problem-solving skills—this and other facts you can check in our Plant Science Research category.
Successfully Incorporating office plants into your work environment
To benefit from the positive effects of plants, it is important to follow a few rules to incorporate plants as an integral part of the office environment. The study by the American Society for Horticultural Science also shows that the effects of plants were moderated by the way the indoor plants were used and their characteristics. Especially the condition of the plants, the annotations connected to specific species, and personal preferences.
This shows how important it is to design a greening concept for each office space individually so that air quality as well as mental and physical health can be improved.
What should my plant routine have so I benefit the most from it?
Position plants in your space with consideration of sun and artificial light
To ensure that plants live a long and happy life, take regular care of them
To create a biophilic environment locate your plants in the so-called plant island
If you place plants in the office, make sure that the number of plants corresponds with the number of employees and size of the office
Chosen plant species have good abilities to absorb pollutants and CO2 levels (for example popular Howea Forsteriana and Strelitzia Nicolai)
If this sounds like too much effort, get personal plant concept 🌿✨"
Lifelong outtake
To sum up, incorporating plants into your work environment is crucial, offering employers a means to support their team members. Plants play a significant role in enhancing mental health and overall quality of life. Their advantages extend beyond stress reduction and improved cognitive function; they also contribute to heightened job satisfaction.
The incorporation of office plants in the workplace is becoming increasingly popular, backed by scientific evidence that demonstrates measurable improvements in air quality. This not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of the space but also contributes to the mental and physical well-being of individuals. Providing such a conducive environment empowers your employees, fostering productivity and creativity.
Remy Graf, our Head of Marketing, brought this perspective on the given topic