Using Plants to Enhance Your Garden Office Atmosphere
Plants can add life and vibrancy to an office space, while increasing productivity and well-being in the workplace.
These plants thrive in low light environments with little maintenance needed. You can add them to stylish office planters or terrariums for an aesthetic workplace design.
Studies show that being around plants enhances people’s performance and creativity more than living without plants.
Natural Light
Plants add the fresh, summery feeling that stimulates creativity. Plants act as air purifiers by filtering out harmful pollutants like carbon dioxide, formaldehyde and ozone from the atmosphere – contributing to human health by alleviating headaches, fatigue and asthma symptoms.
Plantings help enhance office atmosphere and increase work performance, sending an unspoken message that shows companies invest in staff wellbeing.
Studies have demonstrated that people are happier, healthier, and perform better when exposed to greenery, nature, natural lighting and plants. If you have windows with outside views this would be ideal but even without this space it doesn’t cost very much to make simple adjustments that could yield big dividends.
Plants add life and personality to spaces while requiring minimal care. When choosing plants that don’t need much water and can tolerate low levels of sunlight, select succulents for best results; these low maintenance beauties thrive in small pots with minimal irrigation needed. Also worthy of consideration are Ficus elastica varieties which thrive under bright indirect light as well as medium or low illumination levels; similarly Chamaedorea elegans parlor palm is another option that doesn’t require high levels of sunlight while still tolerating dry environments well.
Many plants possess pleasant fragrances that can help reduce stress, leading to improved concentration and productivity. Lavender and rosemary are known for their relaxing properties; placing just a few sprigs of these in an office environment will have immediate calming benefits while simultaneously strengthening immunity systems.
Reduced Noise
An office garden or rooftop garden is an effective way to reduce distracting workplace noise. Plants are naturally quiet, while their foliage helps absorb sound – making them an excellent solution in offices where there’s lots of traffic noise or other background noise that is difficult to ignore.
Plants have long been proven to reduce stress and help us feel more relaxed, which in turn leads to enhanced performance and an enhanced sense of focus and concentration. Plus, plants add beauty and fragrance that make your office or meeting space more welcoming for clients or potential employees coming for meetings or interviews.
If you want to increase productivity in your workplace, the most cost-effective and efficient solution is providing employees with access to natural light, outside views, green decor and indoor plants. But instead of breaking down walls or growing an entire garden at work – here are some quick and inexpensive ways you can boost the garden office environment:
There are many plants that thrive in low to moderate sunlight while adding beauty and charm to any workspace, including Chamaedorea elegans (parlor palm), which grows quickly with minimal light, needing only occasional watering and no sunlight at all. Another great choice is Monstera adansonii plant which does not need as much light but can still thrive in small pots; both provide easy care as they turn yellow or dark green when they require water, plus are hardy enough for harsh lighting conditions.
Install a green wall. A green wall is a vertical garden against a wall filled with plants, perfect for offices because it takes up minimal space while fitting more plants than regular desk planters or hanging baskets could.
Finding a planter or green wall suitable for your office space shouldn’t be hard; local garden centers will have knowledgeable staff that can assist in selecting and caring for it properly.
Reduced Stress
Studies have shown that when plants are present, people take fewer sick days and are more productive at work. This is likely because plants stimulate different modes of mental processing that allow workers to remain focused and calm while remaining productive at work. Furthermore, adding plants to an office space can also alleviate some of the stresses of working indoors, especially within enclosed environments like meeting rooms where humidity may build up quickly; their ability to absorb humidity promotes healthier environments with decreased mold growth risk as well as reduced airborne contaminants such as VOCs.
Natural lighting and soothing beauty of plants offer an inviting alternative to the sterility of conference rooms. Plants may even help relieve feelings of depression and stress. Studies published in Physiological Anthropology revealed that when participants were given either the option to repot houseplants or complete computer-based tasks, those engaging in gardening experienced significantly less physiological and psychological stress than their counterparts who completed only computer tasks. Plant care can be therapeutic and provide a sense of connection to nature; our Intensive Outpatient Program and Partial Hospitalization Program participants find incorporating plant care into their daily routine as a grounding, relaxing experience.
Many plants can help clean the air in a space by filtering it with natural pollutants like the golden pothos, known for its easy maintenance and effectiveness in filtering formaldehyde and benzene from the atmosphere. Peace lilies thrive under low light conditions while helping reduce mold spores from air. Tillandsia species also known as air plants due to living without soil are another great choice in humid environments like Baton Rouge and Louisiana.
Provide your employees with a green break space as a great way to demonstrate your care about their wellbeing. From lush gardens to simple hanging baskets, natural elements provide numerous advantages that are sure to enhance employee morale. In our world of ever-increasing digital distractions, taking mental „micro-breaks” by gazing upon greenery around you is key if we are going to stay productive at work and reduce feelings of depression by 50% while simultaneously decreasing feelings of anxiety by 37% according to one Sydney University study.
Better Air Quality
Studies have revealed that plants improve indoor air quality by filtering out or expelling chemicals from their surroundings and increasing humidity levels. Plants also help reduce fine particles in the air and remove volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Furthermore, plants increase oxygen levels – beneficial to employees’ wellbeing.
Plants may help alleviate symptoms associated with sick building syndrome, caused by inadequate ventilation, low humidity and poor lighting conditions in a building. This condition often results in headaches, dry skin and an overall feeling of exhaustion; studies have demonstrated that houseplants may reduce symptoms by as much as 15%.
Tillandsia are popular home decor items that help create a healthy work environment, making a statement without taking up much space in an office environment. You can easily find Tillandsia at nurseries, garden centers or specialty shops as they require no soil to thrive. Aloe vera also makes for great indoor plants as it acts as a natural air purifier by reducing formaldehyde and benzene emissions; Boston ferns make another effective air purifier that’s easy to care for as they thrive with moderate light levels and moist soil conditions.
Snake plants make for another great solution when it comes to air cleaning in your office, flourishing even under low lighting and needing only minimal watering needs. Not only are these low maintenance options great VOC absorbers but they also release oxygen during the day which helps keep air purer for everyone in your office space.
Plants have been shown to help lower indoor air temperature and humidity, which in turn lower energy costs by decreasing mechanical ventilation needs. Adding plants to a workplace environment is an affordable way of creating an attractive and productive work space while simultaneously increasing environmental awareness.
To maximize the benefit of your plants and ensure they’re cared for appropriately, consider consulting an indoor landscaper who specializes in commercial greening such as Oxygen at Work’s subscription-based service that takes care of plant selection, placement and upkeep for your entire office ecosystem as well as providing you with a web application to monitor its indoor air quality.