Personalising your workspace using plants can reduce stress and negativity by up to 60 percent and increase productivity by up to 30 percent.
We’ve all been overwhelmed by stress and negativity in the workplace – with reasons ranging from heavy workloads, extensive work hours, bad management, budget cuts and office politics.
But what you may not know is that the lack of plants in our work environment can also have a significant impact on our mood and productivity.
Inspired by a study conducted in the UK, Dr. Fraser Torpy from the University of Technology Sydney conducted his own research which revealed that indoor plants can reduce stress and negativity by up to 60 percent and improve productivity by up to 30 percent.
According to Australian interior plantscaping specialist, Ambius, we all have an innate desire to be connected with nature – a condition called ‘biophilia’. But with many of us working long hours in closed environments, surrounded by synthetic materials found in furniture and computing technologies, we lose that connection and this can negatively impact our health.
As Dr. Torpy explained, “Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) emitted from synthetic materials in office furniture, fittings and computers can cause headaches, loss of concentration and eye, nose and throat problems. Carbon dioxide (CO2) has also been linked to drowsiness.”
“Our research proves that plants can reduce potentially harmful VOCs by 80 percent and CO2 by up to 25 percent, so the health benefits are significant.”
Ambius encourages employers to adopt biophilic design and incorporate plants into the workplace to promote greater productivity, calmness and efficiency.
During March and April, the Ambius team will give away more than 10,000 plants to office workers throughout Australia and challenge them to assess how connected they are to nature in their workplaces. For more information, visit the Ambius website.
Give-aways are from 11am – 3pm at the following locations:
- 13-14 March, Brisbane, Queen Street Mall, Corner Queen & Albert Street, QLD 4000
- 20-21 March, Sydney, Wynyard Park, York Street, Sydney, NSW 2000
- 26 – 27 March, Sydney, Chatswood Mall, Westfield Entrance, Victoria Street, Chatswood
- 3 -4 April, Sydney, Centre Court, Macquarie Centre, Waterloo Road, Macquarie Park
