Benefits of Plants

Plants can help to reduce absenteeism and make your workforce more productive

Research has proven that people who feel “at home” in their working environment are less likely to be ill and therefore take less time off work. They manage stress more effectively and their productivity is better. It is a scientific fact that the presence of plants help keep people calmer and make them feel good thus providing the following benefits. Common health problems in modern office buildings that can be alleviated by the introduction of plants

• Dry hands, skin irritations
• Facial skin irritations
• Hoarseness, dry throat
• Dizziness
• Fuzzy head
• Irritated eyes
• Cough
• Concentration problems
• Headaches
• Fatigue

How it all works

Plants filter the air in the indoor environment

Indoor contaminants from furniture, insulation and carpets can cause a variety of complaints such as respiratory irritation, dizziness, headaches, skin rashes, nausea, vomiting and even allergic reactions. This can often lead to poor levels of concentration, lower productivity levels and increased sickness absence. Plants absorb toxins, including carbon dioxide, through their leaves and growing medium and emit oxygen for us to breather, perfect recycling.

Plants increase humidity in the workplace

Low humidity in working environments can cause skin complaints, asthma and frequent colds. As plants return over 90% of all water we give them back into the atmosphere they are very efficient at raising humidity levels and therefore alleviating some of these problems. Plants can increase the atmosphere humidity by some 10% to 15%.

Psychological Benefits

Various plants have been found to be effective in reducing the level of harmful chemicals such as trichloroethylene (TCE), benzene and formaldehyde. The ability of living plants to filter the air in the areas that we work can help the problems labelled as sick building syndrome ‘Plants effectively reduce the levels of a number of noxious gases found in almost every home of office building. Office landscaping can provide substantial benefits to your business.

Enhancing the Environment

People are becoming more and more aware of their surroundings and the importance of preserving and improving our environment. Interior plantscaping improves the personal environment by making our rooms, work areas and buildings more aesthetically pleasing and perceptually stimulating. Plants provide warmth and colour and offer living art thus offering an inexpensive interior decorating alternative.

Noise Reduction and Energy Conservation

Interior plants have also been proven to cut down distractions due to office noiseas plants and their leaves absorb background noise. Plants create their own micro climate and absorb heat, reducing the amount of air conditioning necessary.

Research by GP Plantscape

At GP Plantscape, in association with Liverpool John Moores University, we have invested in researching the benefits of plants in office environments and have produced some remarkable results. Not only do our conclusions show an increase in humidity levels and the provision of significant psychological benefits where plants were present, but in one trial, absence was reduced by 50% in the area with plants compared to absence levels in the same area the previous year. In the control area, with no plants, the absence rate actually increased slightly.