Creating a beautiful environment for the workplace our office painters and decorators will always help to enhance workability and progress – no matter what profession you are in. However, the benefits of introducing plants go far beyond aesthetics, as the health benefits are also numerous and rather surprising.
It is often thought that a demanding job will always be accompanied by stress, but this doesn’t have to be the case. Introducing just one plant can reduce:
- Tension/Anxiety by 37%,
- Depression/Dejection by 58%,
- Anger/Hostility – 44%
- reductio and Fatigue by 38%,
All of which contribute to the development of stress. These statistics are supported by a new study conducted by UTS, which also discovered physical benefits including a reduction in blood pressure, proving that the presence of plants can have very real benefits.
Introducing plants into the office has also shown to reduce illness: during one study, the presence of plants was able to reduce absenteeism by up to 50%, and reduce minor illness by 30%. This will clearly have the number of benefits, increasing the productivity of employees, as a healthy person will be sure to be more focused, whilst also maintaining the workforce in the office as illness-related absences will decrease. The efficiency of the team will therefore be improved, not to mention the potential increase in revenue and general pleasing environment of the office.
As mentioned before, a healthy workforce is sure to operate more efficiently. However, what if I told you that as well as promoting a healthy immune system, the presence of plants can increase actual productivity in employees! This is all due to the cleanliness of the air – a reduction in CO2 in the air we breath can improve productivity by up to 10-15%, as cleaner air can make people feel more awake and energised.
One of the more unknown facts about plants is that they also reduce noise pollution. This works by shortening the reverberation time, which refers to the time it takes for a noise to decline into silence. This works most effectively if the plant is placed on a hard surface such as a wooden, marble or concrete floor, producing obvious benefits for all employees, as they are less likely to be distracted by any other chaos in the office.
As well as all these statistics lets not forget the benefits of being in a pretty environment – in more ways than you can imagine. As well as adding colour and fragrance, the presence of plants can actually reduce dry skin by up to 20%, beautifying your face as well are your workplace!
Now that we’ve covered the benefits of being surrounded by natures greenery, which plants would actually be the best for an enclosed office environment?
The spider plant
Firstly we have the Spider Plant, which is no way near as creepy as it sounds! This stimulating plant is perfect for placing on high shelves because of their far-reaching leaves – so they can be easily placed within the office without being hidden. It is also effortless to care for it, as it does not require much sunlight or maintenance. However, the main appeal is that it will eliminate air pollutants – in addition to their efficiency at reducing CO2 levels, they are also able to clear dust and other unwanted particulate matter that is often abundant in the workplace.
Scented Geranium
If you’re looking for something a little more fragrant, the Scented Geranium is the plant for you. The range of aromas that they offer is extraordinary Choose from rose, lemon, lime, nutmeg, ginger or chocolate scents, just to name a few. These plants need plenty of light, so make sure you keep them near a window.
Philodendron
The benefits of this leafy plant are similar to the previous two, as it can thrive in a mild environment with little sunlight. The main benefit of this plant is its size, producing visible greenery in the office.
Succulents
This family of plants include all Cacti, and while some of the other variations are not as suitable to have indoors, most of them are perfect because of the special water-storage tissues that they have developed, which allows them to thrive in water sparse environments. While they do prefer direct sunlight, they can also adapt to low light levels, so while they would do better near a window, this is not essential
Phalaenopsis Orchid
While some can be a little plain, the Phalaenopsis Orchid is bursting with colour. This beautiful plant is known for its long-lasting flowers and is far easier to grow than other kinds of Orchids. They like to avoid direct sunlight as the leaves can become scorched, so are a great plant to grow inside. When choosing a painting company, they will only enhance the interior design choices you make.