According to the Journal of Experimental Psychology, studies conducted in 2021 found that added greenery in the workplace can increase productivity, reduce absenteeism, and boost feelings of wellbeing by 40%.
A pilot experiment conducted recently by Finnish indoor nature technology business Naava, revealed that performing stress inducing cognitive tasks while surrounded by living plant walls, resulted in 43% fewer mistakes than in a normal room.
It also found that those in the green surroundings presented increased levels of the happiness hormone oxytocin and reduced levels of the stress hormone cortisol.
Naava specialises in biophilic designs: Biophilia is the biological concept that humans have a genetically determined affinity with the natural world. Aki Soudunsaari, co-founder of Naava states “we are much more creative and smarter outdoors. In nature we think more clearly, solve problems more efficiently and are less prone to stress factors.
“Still, we choose to spend 22 hours a day indoors”. He further said that “most workplaces today are entirely uninspiring at best and at worst, they are actually detrimental to our health”.
Naava’s research supports similar findings that identify biophilic design and indoor air quality are significant factors not only in work-related performance, but also in employee health and wellbeing.
With employee mental health at an all-time low in the UK, are plants a simple and low-cost option for employers to try and improve their employees’ mental health and their productivity? I suspect that entire plant walls are a little out of reach for most companies, but potted plants might be a good start.
Further reading
Signs of stress and how to avoid it – Oakwood Solicitors
Stress at work – Oakwood Solicitors
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According to the Journal of Experimental Psychology, studies conducted in 2021 found that added greenery in the workplace can increase productivity, reduce absenteeism, and boost feelings of wellbeing by 40%. A pilot experiment conducted recently by Finnish indoor nature technology business Naava, revealed that performing stress inducing cognitive tasks while surrounded by living plant…
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