Bringing plants into office environments provides many benefits for employees and employers. Studies have shown that incorporating plants into workspaces can significantly increase air quality, reduce stress, boost productivity and creativity, absorb noise, and fulfil biophilic needs. With more and more people spending the majority of their waking hours in office settings, Superplants feel that greening those spaces have become an important strategy for promoting health, wellbeing, and performance. This article provides an overview of the major benefits of using office plants along with recommendations for the best plants to use and how to maintain them. Employers seeking to improve workspaces, and anyone spending much of their day in an office, will find useful information and inspiration here for bringing nature indoors.
Air Quality
Indoor air can contain up to 5 times more pollutants than outdoor air. Off-gassing from furniture, carpet, paint, construction materials, and cleaning supplies can contribute volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to indoor air. These VOCs have been associated with fatigue, headaches, and respiratory issues.
Luckily, plants can help purify indoor air by absorbing these VOCs through their leaves and roots. During photosynthesis, plants also take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen. Just one potted plant per 100 square feet can increase indoor oxygen levels up to 5%. More oxygen gives us improved concentration, productivity, and well-being.
Some of the top plants for removing VOCs and increasing oxygen are:
Snake Plant, Golden Pothos, Peace Lily and Spider Plants.
Bringing these plants into an office or home can create a healthier indoor environment by reducing toxins and increasing oxygen. Their natural air purification provides cleaner air to breathe deeply.
Stress and Productivity
Working in a stressful environment can negatively impact productivity and performance. Background noise, poor lighting, stuffy air, and other environmental factors can cause mental fatigue, making it difficult to focus and get work done efficiently. This is where bringing plants into the office can make a big difference.
Studies have shown that being around plants helps reduce physiological and psychological stress. One study found that anxiety levels and blood pressure decreased significantly among those working with plants. The relaxing nature of greenery helps create a calmer state of mind, lowering cortisol levels and minimizing feelings of stress.
With lower stress comes greater productivity. In offices with plants, workers were more focused, productive, and innovative compared to plant-free offices. Being in a less stressful environment allows people to concentrate better on tasks, process information more effectively, and come up with creative solutions. Plants also improve mood and job satisfaction, further enhancing productivity.
Adding plants to your workspace is an easy and natural way to transform the surroundings and foster a favourable environment. A calmer, more satisfying workspace enables you to get more
done each day with less strain and fatigue. Improving air quality and bringing in the tranquility of nature are simple yet impactful ways to reduce stress and maximize workplace productivity.
Creativity
Having plants in the office can boost creativity. Studies have shown that exposure to nature increases cognitive functioning and creative reasoning. One theory for this is that interacting with nature engages our involuntary attention, allowing the executive functioning parts of our brain a chance to restore. Natural elements like plants seem to effortlessly capture our fascination, providing a mental break and clearing out our working memory. With a refreshed mind, we’re able to approach problems and tasks more creatively. Researchers found that walking in nature or viewing pictures of nature can improve performance on creative problem solving tests. Other studies confirm that having plants and green space in the workplace can enhance creative performance, leading to more innovation. Introducing office plants allows employees to reap these cognitive benefits, supporting more inspired and imaginative work. A touch of nature in the office might just be what you need to get those creative juices flowing.
Acoustics
Plants play an important role in absorbing excess noise in office environments. Their leafy structure helps to dampen and diffuse sound waves, creating a more peaceful atmosphere. This is especially beneficial in open floor plan offices that can become quite noisy.
Studies have shown that ambient noise reduces productivity, increases stress, and impairs cognitive function. Excess noise also makes it difficult to concentrate during meetings, on phone calls, or when trying to focus on demanding mental tasks. Introducing plants helps combat sound reverberation and muffle distracting conversations or equipment noises.
The leaf size, branch structure, and overall density of a plant determines how effective it will be at absorbing sound. Plants with broad, flat leaves and compact growth tend to work best. Some great options we recommend are palms, ferns, peace lilies, aloe vera, snake plants, and rubber plants. Place them strategically in areas where noise reduction would be most valuable.
Having plants indoors is an attractive and healthy way to dampen excessive sound. Their ability to absorb noise results in a more comfortable and productive environment. With careful selection and placement of plants, Superplants can help offices benefit from improved acoustics.
Biophilia: Our Connection to Nature
Humans have an innate connection with nature and the natural world that starts at birth. This instinctive bond and attraction to the natural environment, plants, animals, and general aspects of nature is known as biophilia. Having access to elements of nature, even while indoors, can provide a range of benefits.
Research has shown that biophilia improves moods, reduces stress, restores mental fatigue, and increases productivity. The theory is that because humans evolved in natural settings, we innately feel more comfortable and at ease when surrounded by aspects of nature. Even something as simple as a houseplant or nature photography can tap into this instinct and provide a mental boost.
When biophilic design principles are incorporated into architecture and interior spaces, people report heightened creativity, lower stress levels, and greater wellbeing. Access to sunlight, green plants, natural materials, and views of the outdoor landscape can satisfy our biophilic need for connection with nature. Bringing elements of the natural world indoors through living office plants, sunlight, and views outside, allows us to reap the benefits of biophilia during our everyday lives.
Recommended Plants
Whether your office is big or small, there are certain types of plants that are ideal for the office environment. Here are some of the best plants to brighten up your workplace:
Snake Plant (Sansevieria Trifasciate) – One of the most versatile and hardy plants, the snake plant purifies air by removing toxins like formaldehyde and benzene. It requires little light or water to thrive.
Peace Lily (Spalluphyllum) – With air-purifying abilities, the peace lily filters out harmful VOCs and molds from the air. It lets you know when it needs water by drooping its leaves.
Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) – An easy-to-grow vine plant that can cascade down from bookshelves or hang in baskets. It helps remove indoor air pollutants like benzene, formaldehyde and carbon monoxide.
Succulents (Crassula, Echeveria, Euphorbia) – Succulent varieties like jade, aloe vera and echeverias are low maintenance plants that can survive with minimal watering. Their fleshy leaves store water.
ZZ Plant (Zamioculas Zamiifolia) – Known for its waxy, thick leaves, the ZZ plant is durable and adaptable to various lighting conditions. It helps filter out toxins like benzene, formaldehyde, and carbon monoxide.