Is your office littered with pot plants and greenery, or is there not a living plant in sight? Would you work better if you had a pot plant near by, or would it just be a chore to water it everyday?
The Government seems to think that having pot plants in the office is essential, as recently they spent thousands of pounds on flowers and plants for their offices:
So are the plants and fresh flowers worth the money spent? Jenny MacDonnell, Research Director at the British Council for Offices, believes they are, for the following reasons.
“Having plants in offices is a good thing. It makes people more productive, happier, reduces stress, [and] helps reduce dust particles in the air.”
Kate Mason, associate at Scott Brownrigg, an architectural design company, agrees with Jenny. She said: “We’ve read a lot of research on how planting affects people. The companies we work for have a maintenance budget and they understand it’s not just about putting the plants in.
“But if it does enhance efficiency and the way people work together, investment to enable that could be a positive.”
The trend for pot plants in the office is clearly growing, as more and more offices are now designing their new work places, incorporating plants into the design process rather than including them at a later stage. Speaking of the changes in the design development, Kate stated: “What’s happening now is planting is becoming part of the design rather than an afterthought.
“We’re seeing a lot of indoor gardens – they have created these in the offices in the Shard, for example. We’re also working for a couple of large clients where we’re putting in living walls.”
Whilst at work, you are surrounded by a variety of different chemicals, noises and smells from carpets, computers, cleaning products, furniture and printers, just to name a few. But according to plantforce, having plants around you can improve your working environment by:
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