09 September 2014
Office plants have been found to boost productivity by 15% in a new study, but did you also know they improve mood, creativity and air quality?
Forget that funky office furniture and large artwork, one study suggests that if you want to make your staff more productive, you just need to invest in some plants for your workplace.
The University of Cardiff carried out their study in offices in the Netherlands and the UK and found that enriching a spartan office with plants increased productivity by a whopping 15%. This study used tall plants (3 feet) with a plant for every square metre.
Previous research has indicated that plants improve mood and reduce stress and some reduce indoor air pollutants. In fact, the productivity increase in this study is quite moderate when compared to earlier research. A study by the University of Exeter found that plants could improve productivity by as much as 38%, well-being by 47% and creativity by 45%.
A two-year study by the Agricultural University of Oslo also found that plants reduced ailments such as headaches, sore throats and fatigue by up to 45%.
The office is actually a minefield of potential health issues. Printers, photocopiers, whiteboard pens and chemicals such as cleaning products can all pollute the workplace by emitting substances such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs). For example, photocopiers emit ozone and ink toners can produce substances such as methyl alcohol. These can cause headaches, fatigue, eye irritation and flu-like symptoms such as a stuffy nose.
Particles can also be emitted by hairdryers, cars and even candles, so this isn’t necessarily restricted to the office, but the prevalence of air conditioning means you don’t necessarily have to be sat near the main pollution sources to be affected.
Several years ago, NASA carried out a clean air study, investigating the role of plants in removing air pollutants in spacecraft (which are also found in homes and offices). They discovered that certain plants could remove as much as 87% of the indoor pollutants. This is important when you consider the levels of indoor air pollutants. For example, a study by Australian scientists found that an office printer increased the indoor particle count by five times.
Snake plants and chrysanthemums are good for workplace toilets, as they filter out formaldehyde and benzene respectively, found in cleaning products and detergents. Or if you’re more concerned about decoration and aesthetics, how about a miniature terrarium? These have become very popular in recent years and need very little upkeep.
Make sure that none of your colleagues are allergic to pollen. The likelihood of your plants flowering depends on how well you look after them and the light levels in your office, but it’s best to check before buying.
Read up how to care for your plants. Don’t over water them or you risk the possibility of mould, but conversely, a dead plant will do nothing for your mood or productivity if you don’t remember to water it at all.
Think about how many plants you need. According to NASA, you should have one potted plant for every 100 square feet of office space.