Being in and near nature is beneficial to humans. For a variety of reasons, going for a stroll in the fresh air is often recommended.
Headaches? Go on a walk. Sad? Go for a walk around the block. Unmotivated? See whether hiking or relaxing in the park inspires you.
There's something special about trees, flowers, and other plants that makes us want to be a near them as a species. This makes them a critical piece of the property manager's toolkit.
It may seem that placing plants around your facility is a time-consuming task that isn't worth the effort and cost to maintain, but this is far from the case. The advantages of having plants at the office significantly exceed the time spent watering and caring for them or cost of hiring a service.
You may even be losing money if you don't have enough greenery in your company. How? Check it out for yourself:
Clean the Air
This should go without saying, but it's nice to know how every plant in your environment filters carbon dioxide from the air. This reduction is approximately 10% in air-conditioned workplaces, while buildings without air conditioning may benefit from a nearly 25% reduction in C02 throughout the office.
Studies have also shown that including plants can improve overall air quality test results by reducing the amounts of Trichloroethylene, Formaldehyde, Benzene, Xylene and Ammonia found in the air. Poor air quality and elevated concentrations of these chemicals has been shown in a study by NASA to cause Sick Building Syndrome (SBS).
Reduce the amount of noise
Plants are capable of absorbing sound! This is an especially important benefit as more and more facilities are transitioning to hard surface flooring types such as vinyl planks. I often recommend adding plants and soft furnishings to tenants who are concerned about noise issues.
When placing plants to help with sound attenuation, look to place the plants slightly away from the walls rather than pushed up against them. Potted plants can make an impressive difference in the acoustics of a space.
Improve Space Perception
Interior landscaping can play a vital role in providing pleasant and tranquil environments for our tenants. Interior plantings can provide a sense of life to a space, even when there may be high vacancy you are trying to fill. I have used this to my advantage in a situation where due to a move out we had almost an entire floor of a building that was unoccupied. The remaining tenants felt the floor was no longer welcoming to their visitors. With some creative planting solutions we were able to camouflage darkened windows and help the space feel more lively. Spaces feel less abandoned when there are live, healthy plants.
Increase Productivity
You may improve their memory recall and help them achieve better results by placing one plant every three to four feet. It's all about psychological involvement in the workplace to increase productivity and pleasure.
Productive tenants will hopefully mean on time rent payments!
Reduce Sickness
According to one study, when compared to places without these additions, workstations that include plants and elements of nature into their office design improve wellbeing of employees by 15%.
There's also evidence that office plants may reduce the symptoms of ill health by 25%, such as tiredness, nose and eye discomfort, dry skin, and concentration issues. If you feel better at work, you're more inclined to stay until the end of the day or not go in at all.
Reduce Stress
Employee satisfaction boils down to one factor: how stressed they are at work. Every profession has its own set of challenges, but if it's too demanding or there's nothing in place to keep employees from feeling overwhelmed, they'll ultimately burn out.
Maintaining a healthy amount of stress at work is essential for job happiness. Back in 2010, research conducted by the University of Technology in Sydney discovered exactly how important plants are in the workplace for decreasing stress and other issues:
• Anxiety and tension decreased by 37%.
• Depression and sadness were reduced by 58 percent.
• Feels of Anger and hatred were decreased by 44%.
• Fatigue levels dropped by 38%.
Final Thoughts
Plants provide the natural connection that people seek. If an office lacks these elements and a natural atmosphere, we unconsciously gravitate away from what we perceive as a boring environment. Upkeep is essential since dead and dying plants may have negative effects instead of positive.
How have you used plants in your facilities?
No comments:
Post a Comment