Benefits of Adding Plants to Your Workplace

Many business owners pay little or no attention to their workplace's design. They focus strictly on functional elements while ignoring its aesthetics. Unfortunately, this usually backfires by creating a negative working environment. A simple way to update and improve your workplace's design, however, is to add plants. While it may seem unusual, plants -- when used in the office -- add several noteworthy benefits, some of which may surprise you.

Cleaner Air

Plants are more than just decorative pieces for the workplace; they work to filter dirt, dust and impurities from the air. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air is up to 500% more polluted than outdoor air. When workers are exposed to dirty indoor air, they are more likely to catch infectious illnesses like the cold or flu. You can keep your workplace's air clean, however, by decorating the space with plants.

Increased Worker Satisfaction

Plants have also been shown to increase worker satisfaction. This is important because workers are more likely to quit and seek employment elsewhere. And whenever a worker quits, you'll have to spend time, money and resources to find a replacement for his or her position. Decorating your workplace with plants won't prevent all workers from quitting, but it can still promote a higher level of worker satisfaction -- something that may discover at least some workers from seeking employment elsewhere.

Reduced Stress Levels

If you feel calm and relaxed around plants, you aren't alone. Numerous studies have shown that exposure to plants lowers stress levels. It's unclear how plants have this effect, but researchers believe that it's related to the biochemical processes triggered by plants. When a person is exposed to a plant, biochemical changes occur in his or her body, such as increased production of oxytocin and endorphins. These biochemical effects leave workers feeling calmer, more relaxed and less stress.

Increased Productivity

This alone should be reason enough to use plants in your workplace's design. According to research cited by Inc, the average worker is productive for less than three hours a day. All that lost productivity can take a toll on your business, causing lower profits and missed goals. You can promote increased worker productivity, however, by adding plants to your workplace's design.

Improved Aesthetics

Of course, plants will also improve the aesthetics of your workplace. When you're busy running a business, you probably don't have a lot of free time for decorating. A simple solution is to add plants to your workplace. It will instantly improve the decor to create a better-looking workplace.