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Most people spend roughly forty hours a week at the office. Over the course of even just one full year, that’s a lot of time to be in one space. Because of this, management teams have a responsibility to create an environment that is conducive to productivity, comfort and joy. This has become all the more important during the pandemic, where creating a safe and welcoming space meant the difference between encouraging good mental health, and getting overwhelmed by the uncertainty of lockdown. Having plants in your office can have far reaching benefits, each of which we’ll touch on quickly today.
This is such a good benefit, that it’s worth restating it right off the bat. Plants can be great for the physical health and wellbeing of the people around them, as they help to filter and improve the air quality in the surrounding space. Because of this, they may contribute to a reduction in health complaints over time. Their presence can also lower stress levels, and increase a sense of happiness. Even by just encouraging each of your staff members to pick a low-light plant for their desks could be an activity that sparks creativity, and brings oodles of joy in the long run.
Plants also increase workplace productivity over and above the indirect increase resulting from feelings of better health and wellbeing. Some studies suggest that the presence of plants can reduce absenteeism, not only because people are more likely to want to look after a plant on their desk or in the surroundings, but because it encourages good physical, mental and emotional health. Another way that they encourage productivity is by reducing the noise levels in the surrounding area. Team members can therefore concentrate better on their work, especially if it is an open plan environment.
We live in a busy, fast-paced world, and often teams are encouraged to come up with creative ideas for clients, or even just when it comes to picking a theme for the Christmas party this year. By connecting with nature, creativity is encouraged. The plants give the space a homely feel, and the soothing feelings can lead to inspiration. This may lead to better creative campaigns, or even just help employees to better express themselves, which opens up channels of communication between the team that may have felt a little stifled before the office was filled with plants.
If you think it’s time to introduce more plants into your office, you may be having a look at the balance sheet and wondering how to go about this in an economical way. At Bidvest ExecuFlora, we love bringing the outdoors indoors, and offer our clients some of the best plants on the market even if they are on a strict budget. We even offer tailor-made wall planters, green walls and more, in order for our clients to get as creative as possible with the space. In no time at all, you’ll be reaping all the wonderful rewards of having plants in the office mentioned here.