People often spend long hours in the office, which tends to increase stress and fatigue caused by the environment. However, psychological studies have shown that introducing plants into the office can help relieve stress and promote relaxation. In recent years, plants have been attracting attention in improving the workplace environment.
In our company, we decorate our workplaces with plants. We believe this makes the working environment more comfortable and reduces stress for our employees. According to one of our employees, even a small number of people can make our office feel cramped, but the plants make the workplace feel less claustrophobic, and they also provide a nice change of pace during the workday.
In this forthcoming article, we delve into the psychological advantages of cultivating plants within the workplace, elucidating these benefits through illustrative examples. The integration of plants into your professional environment has the potential to foster a sense of comfort and heightened engagement in your work. We invite you to indulge in a momentary pause and peruse the insights that follow.
Contents
Psychological Benefits
Plants in the workplace not only enhance the atmosphere and design of the workplace through visual accents, but also their presence provides psychological benefits.
According to the studies, benefits of human contact with nature include stress reduction, healing, restoration of attention span, development of perceptual and expressive skills, cognition, imagination, and social development. [3]
**Stress Reduction and Improved Relaxation**
Incorporating natural elements has been shown to relax the mind as well as reduce stress and fatigue.
Previous experimental studies suggest that the effects of the presence of plants are greater in people with relatively high stress levels. [2]
In a one study’s findings, the exposure to more plants was connected to lower stress, less sick leave, and higher productivity, when controlling for gender, age, and other workplace factors. [2]
Another research also points to the fact that contact with nature can reduce negative mood states and enhance positive emotions. As a result, it helps people cope with stressful situations tied to high demands and increases their social awareness, allowing them to relate to others more positively and resolve conflicts in a positive manner. In addition, nature contributes to the recovery of mental fatigue, has a positive impact on attention span, increases resources to control how work unfolds, and helps people cope with demanding situations. In addition, exposure to nature has a calming effect, reduces psychophysiological activation during stress reactions, and helps protect individuals from the effects of environmental stressors induced by change. [3]
In addition, a 2010 University of Sydney study investigated the effects of the presence of plants on the negative moods of people living in buildings. This study was the first empirical study to use internationally validated psychological measures to assess the potential effects of indoor plants. The presence of plants was positively correlated with worker productivity and also significantly reduced negative mood and stress levels among building occupants. Furthermore, it was found that the presence of just one plant in a workspace significantly increased employee morale, while simultaneously promoting well-being and improving job performance. [4]
Our company representative is also under daily stress in his business, but thanks to plants and pets, he is able to maintain his mental health.
Plants that are actually displayed in our workplace:
For more information on the positive effects of pets in workplace, please see this article (Japanese):
猫と一緒に働くと生産性の向上が期待できる！ペットフレンドリーな職場環境のメリットとは (metamorphose.co.jp)
**Mood Elevation**
Mood enhancement is an important component of the psychological benefits of the presence of plants in the workplace. Flowers and other plants bring natural beauty and can brighten one’s mood just by looking at them.
In one of the studies, subjects “generally reported moderate levels of positive emotions, such as feeling carefree or elated. They reported low levels of negative emotions, including anger and fear.”［１］
In addition, other research has proven that “the view (of real nature or aesthetical images) and natural materials (e.g., wood) reduce stress and anger in a working environment and help workers feel happier and healthier.” [3]
Natural landscapes and aesthetic images have a soothing and relaxing effect on the mind. Natural materials, such as wood, also help people feel connected to nature and provide a sense of psychological stability.
Another study also pointed to the fact that “the presence of indoor scented and unscented plants such as lavender, poinsettia, alocasia rhizome, and apple geranium enhanced human comfort.” [5]
**Improved Concentration**
Comfortable environments are known to enhance concentration, and flowers and plants provide aid in this regard.
According to the study,
“After completing the task, people in the presence of plants reported feeling more attentive (an increase of 0.5 units on a scale from one to five) than those in the absence of plants. Comparisons within a treatment revealed that subjects tested in the presence of plants showed significant increases in their post-task attentiveness scores over their pre-task scores (also an increase of 0.5 units, P < 0.01), while there were no changes in attentiveness for those in the absence of plants.” [1]
Additionally, as noted in an article focusing on the role of plants in air purification during the recent Covid pandemic, studies have shown that indoor plants such as rubber trees, English ivy, and spider plants improved student performance in the classroom. [5]
**Increased Creativity**
The presence of plants not only helps to improve relaxation and health, but also appears to create a pleasant environment that stimulates creative thinking.
A study conducted by Japanese researchers in 2002 found that even one plant can have a significant positive effect on creative task performance. [2]
**Improving Relationships and Morale**
Taking care of flowers and plants as a common interest can promote communication and strengthen teamwork in the workplace. In addition, studies have shown that it can improve the morale of team members.
A study conducted in 2022 found that exposure to the natural environment and natural elements as part of a mindfulness practice may enhance the effects of mindfulness on workers’ empathy, awareness, cognitive flexibility, and ability to self-manage. This effect can help workers develop positive interpersonal relationships, understand their role within the organization, and enhance their ability to adapt to change. In addition, it appears to contribute to reducing stress and promoting new patterns of response. [3]
Moreover, as mentioned earlier, the research has also shown that simply placing one plant in a workspace can improve staff morale and promote well-being.[4]
What is more, in a two-year longitudinal study, researchers examined the impact of intentionally introducing plants into a renovated office buildings that incorporated elements of biophilic design.
According to this research:
“Initial responses from occupants were clearly supportive of the newly introduced biophilic design elements to their workspace. Some benefits perceived by the workers using them included: enhanced collaboration amongst staff, including across teams, improved morale, and mitigation against stress. Even though this longitudinal study is ongoing for two years, early trends in responses from the first few weeks of occupancy suggested resounding approval by office workers. In short, the research is pointing towards a potential outcome that biophilic-designed site offices are linked to perceived social benefits and increased employee functioning including cooperation and mentoring, and to positive psychological effects, such as improved work satisfaction and higher morale.” [4]
In our company, we maintain good relationships, probably due in part to the effects of the plants.
We also believe that the lack of problems in terms of morale is also thanks to the incorporation of plants into the workplace.
Work Environment benefits: Air Purification and Humidity Control
Some plants can improve workplace air quality by absorbing airborne toxins and releasing oxygen. By releasing moisture, plants can regulate ambient humidity and improve dry office environments.
The aforementioned study by researchers at the University of Sydney focused on the effect of potted plants on reducing indoor air pollution. These plants played an important role in improving volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced by furniture, furnishings, and equipment such as computers and copiers, as well as carbon dioxide produced by residents’ breathing. In addition, clean air has also been found to be associated with improved cardiovascular health and mental sensitivity. [4]
Other studies have also shown that “plant photosynthesis has been shown to improve air quality by producing negative air ions.” Additionally, it has been found that “plants remove pollutants and volatile organic compounds” and regulate temperature and humidity. [5]
Health Improvement
In the modern workplace, work-related stress and pressure exist on a daily basis and can have a negative impact on the physical and mental health of employees. Therefore, recent efforts to incorporate the presence of plants as a measure to improve the workplace environment have been drawing wide attention.
Even in 1998, researchers conducted a quasi-experiment investigating the relationship between the presence of plants and health symptoms. In that study, plants were introduced in fairly large numbers; a total of 18 plants were introduced in one office in the experiment, but according to the findings, problems with health symptoms were reduced by 21% on average. [2]
Other studies have shown that evergreen oils can be extracted from trees, aerosolized, and injected into indoor spaces to recreate a real forest visit. Essential oils emitted by evergreen trees appear to be “associated with improvements to the immune system and the production of natural killer cells.” [3]
Points to Keep in Mind When Placing Plants
When placing plants in the workplace, consideration should be given to the type of plant, where it will be placed, and how it will be maintained. Also, be careful to protect the health and safety of employees, paying attention to allergies and ventilation issues.
Also, when placing plants on a desk, be careful not to splash water on electronic devices such as computers.
Conclusion
The presence of plants in the workplace was found to have psychological benefits for stress reduction and improved relaxation. Plants are natural elements and have been shown to not only have a healing effect on the environment, but also provide a psychological sense of security and well-being. It has also been suggested that the presence of plants improves work efficiency and concentration. As part of improving the workplace environment, the introduction of plants may improve the psychological well-being of employees and enhance workplace productivity.
In today’s modern world, it is essential to take health promotion seriously in the workplace, and having flowers and plants in the office is one of the ways to achieve this goal. Our company is committed to the health management of our employees by utilizing our health management advisors. Our health management advisors understand the health condition of our employees and offer assistance measures to address each health issue. We provide regular health checkups and health consultations to better understand physical and mental health conditions, while at the same time providing mental health care.
If you are interested in improving your environment and increasing employee productivity and satisfaction, contact us to speak with one of our certified health advisors. For more information, please feel free to ask any questions you may have via our chatbot at the bottom of our webpage, or schedule a consultation. Our team of experts is always ready to support your business. We sincerely look forward to hearing from you.
References
[1] Lohr, V. I., Pearson-Mims, C. H., & Goodwin, G. K. (1996). Interior plants may improve worker productivity and reduce stress in a windowless environment. Journal of Environmental Horticulture, 14(2), 97-100.
[2] Bringslimark, T., Hartig, T., & Patil, G. G. (2009). The psychological benefits of indoor plants: A critical review of the experimental literature. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 29(4), 422-433.
[3] Menardo, E., Di Marco, D., Ramos, S., Brondino, M., Arenas, A., Costa, P., Vaz de Carvalho, C., et al. (2022). Nature and Mindfulness to Cope with Work-Related Stress: A Narrative Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(10), 5948. MDPI AG. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19105948
[4] Gray, T., & Birrell, C. (2014). Are Biophilic-Designed Site Office Buildings Linked to Health Benefits and High Performing Occupants? International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 11(12), 12204–12222. MDPI AG. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph111212204
[5] El-Tanbouly, R., Hassan, Z., & El-Messeiry, S. (2021). The Role of Indoor Plants in Air Purification and Human Health in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic: A Proposal for a Novel Line of Inquiry. Frontiers in molecular biosciences, 8, 709395. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmolb.2021.709395