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May 22, 2017

Should plants be incorporated into office design

For some, there’s nothing more welcoming than walking into a reception or office space and greeted with the delightful scent of fresh flowers and plants.

Whether you are a member of staff or a prospective client sometimes it’s the fine details that make a difference in creating a productive, coveted working environment.

On the other hand, some companies may think that incorporating items, such as plants, into office design is expensive and unprofessional. In this blog we will look at the reasons for creating a ‘green office’. Take a read a let us know your thoughts.

Enriched workspaces

A workspace fitted with plants as décor may also be called an “enriched” workspace. As well as being beautiful, providing your employees with this type of office is likely to have a positive effect on productivity.

According to research carried out during the Royal Chelsea Flower Show, plants positioned in an office can help lift staff well-being by up to 47%. While some businesses may prefer a “lean” workspace – i.e. where less is more – these studies show that creativity, productivity and general happiness are all likely factors to benefit from added greenery.

Therefore, these findings identify a relationship between plants and wellbeing. Ensuring the wellbeing of your staff is extremely important. Absenteeism, a decrease in productivity are among the problems that could arise if your staff aren’t happy.

Whether your employees are stressed due to having to meet tight deadlines, an increase in workload or external circumstances as an employer it’s essential to provide your team with optimum working conditions. A way of doing this is through office design. Have a read of our blog where we look at wellbeing within the workplace and what you can do to make sure your employees are happy and therefore, productive.

Plants in design

As well as increasing efficiency and workplace general happiness, from a design perspective, positioning plants have a number of other benefits. For example, they can act as a focal point, contribute to a company’s colour scheme and complement an organisation’s branding.

In our blog where we investigate the effect of colour within office design our findings indicate that different colours have different implications on mood and atmosphere.

Vibrant colours, such as red and yellow, are dynamic and create an energy within the workplace. Try positioning brightly coloured plants within your office to act as focal points. Focal points are a great way to enhance bland spaces or draw attention to particular design details. Not only will these be attractive, but research has shown that vibrancy in colour is likely to provide your employees with that extra boost of energy they need to get them through the day. However, these should be used in moderation so as not to run the risk of being exhausting.

Other colours, such as blue and green, are regarded as relaxing colours. Many companies factor in these shades into workspace design to create a calming environment for their employees. You are therefore likely to find green plants placed poignantly in meeting rooms. We recommend other ways to bring life into your meeting and boardrooms in our blog, ‘How to take the bored out of the boardroom’. Have a read and let us know your thoughts.

And you?

So what do you think? Are plants more than just decoration? At Workspace Design and Build, we love hearing from you so whether you are looking to relocate, completely refurbish or want some advice on workplace design do get in touch today. Our team of specialised experts are on hand to answer any questions. Get in touch via email, our social media pages or give us a call today to arrange a meeting.