It’s Easy Being Green: Benefits of Incorporating Plants in the Workplace
When the idea to write about the benefits of interior plants first came up, we were in the throes of winter, stuck inside. Outside my window I was staring at nothing but piles of icy snow with dead, bare branches poking out sadly from beneath. As the temperatures dropped, daylight dwindled, and the promise of spring seemed out of reach, the thought occurred to me that bringing some cheerful greenery into my home office would be a simple yet effective way to beat the winter blues.
Did you know that Americans spend an average of 90% of their day indoors? [1] That number is likely even higher during the long winter months when we’re all in full hibernation mode. Many of us have gained more appreciation for the benefits of being outdoors, especially since the peak days of Covid, and we recognize that more exposure to fresh air and nature can greatly improve both our mental and physical health. So how can we replicate some of those same benefits when we’re inside for the other 90% of the day?
As interior designers, we improve the indoor spaces where people work, study, play, shop, and live, by making those spaces healthy and safe, comfortable, functional, and beautiful. One approach to improving these spaces and bringing some of those outdoor benefits in is to incorporate plants into our designs. With the multitude of advantages indoor plants provide, the most significant may be the health and wellness characteristics that are inherent in most of the plants we use in our projects:
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- A 2014 field study by the University of Exeter suggests that offices with plants can see a quantifiable increase in overall employee productivity by about 15%, with a noticeable improvement in air quality, employee concentration, and overall workplace satisfaction. [2]
- Plants are known for being natural air purifiers, improving indoor air quality by reducing levels of indoor pollutants and reducing exposures to harmful compounds found in building materials and interior finishes and furnishings. [3]
- Plants can also increase the overall humidity in a space proving to be especially beneficial during our dry New England winters, helping to lower respiratory issues, and making the space more comfortable for all.
These factors all contribute to an overall healthier space with cleaner air, resulting in healthier, happier employees.
Plants also provide a variety of design solutions to interior designers and their clients. Ideally, we are incorporating plants in a variety of shapes and sizes into our design concepts from the start. Beyond the obvious attractive aesthetic that plants can bring to a space, we recognize the value that plants can add in less obvious ways – from space division, to visual privacy, and even noise reduction.
In our office, we incorporated a variety of plants, from vibrant plant containers at the entry and above each block of workstations, to our beloved “living” wall. Our plant wall energizes our large meeting space with a range of colors, textures, and plant varieties.
An alternative solution to these living walls is a preserved moss wall. We’ve seen these gain popularity due to their low-to-no-maintenance requirements and ability to easily customize colors, textures, and shapes. We’ve used these for logo signage too, such as in the lobby at WIN Waste Innovations.
With the help of our local interior plant experts, we select plants and their containers in a variety of shapes, sizes, and species. Smaller containers, like those we locate above workstations and banks of filing cabinets, provide not only a pleasing pop of color, but also visual privacy from neighbors and others passing through an open workspace.
Taller plant containers like the ones used in the lobby at Red Oak’s multi-use building at 409 Elm Street in Manchester, NH can divide space physically and visually in an otherwise open area.
Plants absorb sound – these plant containers act not only as space dividers in the break rooms at Darling Consulting Group and WIN Waste Innovations, but also as noise reducers in these open spaces with fewer sound-absorbing surfaces than a typical carpeted office space.
The benefits that plants bring to indoor spaces are invaluable, and we will continue to encourage their inclusion in our designs for healthy, functional, and beautiful interiors.
