Enjoy being out in your garden after a long day at the office? Studies show that human beings respond positively to being outside and in contact with nature. The natural world reduces our stress levels, encourages a sense of calm, and increases our happiness and productivity.
What if you could do all that for your employees while they were at work? With an office garden you can!
Introducing a garden into your office space has been proven to make employees happier because it allows them:
1. Breathing space
Leaving your desk for a few minutes during a tough day or eating lunch outdoors rather than in a windowless room can make all the difference to your mood and overall sense of wellbeing. Studies show that a change of scenery and an escape into nature can bring about a fresh perspective, increased problem-solving skills, and the opportunity to regroup and regain a positive attitude.
2. Increased health
Plants clean the air, removing harmful toxins from the atmosphere so the air in your office garden might be better for you than the recycled air-conditioned inside. Either way, studies show that natural sunlight and exposure to living plants makes you sleep better and a good sleep means increased happiness, health, and productivity. Walking around a garden (or better yet, caring for one) regularly also allows employees to include some physical exercise in their daily routine. This is especially important for those individuals who spend their whole day in front of a computer. The result? Increased health, increased happiness.
3. A chance to connect with others
An office garden gives employees a chance to interact with each other and nature in a beautiful space outside of their daily work environment. This encourages a pleasant work atmosphere. Away from their computer screens (where they might easily message each other without ever leaving their chairs), employees will get the chance to socialise and interact in a more ‘human’ way than they do every day working in the same office space. And caring for the plants in a garden can be a great team building exercise.
Don’t have the space or budget for a garden outside your office walls? You can still bring the natural world (and its benefits) to your employees by introducing a vertical garden to your workplace. A space saver, a vertical garden is both beautiful and economical.
Work in an office park with a communal garden that’s under-used or neglected? Spread the good vibes even further than your office by undertaking an overhaul of that space – read more about how you can renew your office park garden here.