Don't Underestimate the Importance of Office Plants

Offices can be quite a bland, sterile environment, so adding in some greenery makes them feel like a much more attractive place to work. Yet plants do so much more than simply brighten the place up. Research has shown they can have a significant impact on mood, boost productivity and even reduce sick days.

On a practical level, they improve the atmosphere in an office. There really is such a thing as 'sick building syndrome', where poor ventilation leads to physical symptoms such as nausea, headaches and poor concentration. Plants help purify the air so people spend their working days in a healthier environment, thereby cutting the number of absences due to illness.

Days lost to sickness are further decreased because plants lower stress by around 37%, according to one study. The same study found reported depression was down by 58%, anger and hostility were 44% lower and fatigue was down by 38%. Other studies have reached similar conclusions, and you can't argue, or ignore, numbers like that.

Productivity is also increased, by as much as 15% according to one decade-long study. Creativity was found to have increased by the same amount, largely because people are more engaged with their surroundings. 'Attention restoration theory' suggests the brain is shifted into a higher processing mode when people look at nature, so they're more relaxed and better able to focus.

Overall, plants should be considered a necessity in your office, rather than simply something 'nice to have'. Plants are more than decorations, they play a pivotal role in the mental wellbeing of employees and in your company's success.