The popularity of interior office plants has grown considerably over the years. Why? The truth is that there are several physiological and psychological reasons to have a plant become a part of your workspace, reasons that have been proven with scientific research. You should definitely find yourself an office plant. But don’t act too fast. Make your choice wisely since some plants are better for office life than others.
So why should you get a plant for your workspace?
Reason One: Many indoor plant species are said to help boost workplace productivity and increase concentration levels. Your physical work environment directly affects your ability and desire to work. Along with that affect, a recent study indicated that employees remained on-task with higher levels of concentration and quicker reaction times when indoor plants were added to their workspace. The higher level of concentration can be attributed to the plants ability to reduce excess carbon dioxide.
Reason Two: Interior plants help to clean the air and fight “Sick Building Syndrome.” Sick Building Syndrome is a real problem that is growing and affects many contemporary buildings across the globe. This syndrome is caused by toxins in an office building created by man-made articles like plastics, paint, furniture, synthetic fabrics, insulation, carpets, plywood, and cleaners. Even new energy-efficient buildings are at risk. Using the products vital to a business’ operation (printers, computers, copiers, etc.) also creates toxins. These toxins can cause a variety of problems for employees. The complaints range from headaches, runny noses, impaired immune system, sneezing, and breathing problems. All of these problems are not only an annoyance but they also contribute to poor job performance. But when you introduce a plant into these environments, toxins are absorbed into the root zone of the plant where they are then turned into nutrients.
Reason Three: Office plants provide workers with healthier humidity levels. Many times, sealed office environments are filled with dry and overheated air. When air is too dry, people are more likely to catch a cold or the flu. Office plants add moisture to the air through their natural processes of evaporation and transpiration. Not only does this effect make for a healthier work environment for employees, it also saves the company money with respect to office property. When humidity levels are too low, materials like wood can become damaged or cracked.
Reason Four: Indoor plants make the office more aesthetically pleasing and can create a generally pleasant work atmosphere. Office plants not only enhance office surroundings for employees, they also make the workplace a more welcoming place for clients, guests, and customers.
Reason Five: Having plants at the office can also reduce stress levels. Office plants make the work environment a more relaxing and a less stressful place. Because of a plants reflection of yellow and green colors on the spectrum, employees’ eyes become less tired in response to these naturally pleasant and relaxing colors.
What are some good options for an office plant? There are a lot of good choices out there for you. The best plants to receive the full benefits of an office plant (i.e. pollutant absorption, humidity stabilization, etc.) are going to be the plants that need a lot of watering. Also, plants with a high leaf area or surface area are going to be good choices to improve your workspace. With that said, here are five specific plant suggestions that work great in an office.
Spider Plant – A plant with long narrow leaves, it is a very popular houseplant. It is a great plant for beginners. It can thrive in almost any condition and is very tolerant of neglect. Try to keep this plant out of direct sunlight however. They do very well in naturally lit indoor environments. These plants also reduce indoor air pollutants, specifically formaldehyde.
English Ivy – This is an evergreen woody climbing plant. It is widely used as an ornamental plant and is great for absorbing the pollutant benzene. The English Ivy can survive in most environments also, but they don’t handle temperature fluctuation very well. Try to avoid drafts from frequently opened doors, windows, or air conditioners.
Peace Lily – Combating the toxins trichloroethylene and benzene, the Peace Lily lives best in shade and needs little sunlight to thrive. This plant has bold, shiny green foliage with stemless crowns. The leaves are the main attraction, but they are also complemented by white flower stalks.
Bamboo Palm – This plant can be described as tall, beautiful, and green. It can reach a height of three to six feet. The Bamboo Palm does best in bright indirect light. You can stand it in the corner of any room and it will thrive basically. Caring for this plant is relatively easy.
Ficus Benjamina/Weeping Fig – Here we have a species of fig tree. A popular interior plant choice due to its tolerance of poor growing conditions, the Ficus Benjamina does best under bright and sunny conditions. It will tolerate the shade however and only needs a moderate amount of watering. Protect the Weeping Fig from strong drafts and understand that this is a plant that may need drastic pruning since it tends to grow too large indoors sometimes.
A few other really good choices include the Corn Plant, Marginata, Philodendron, Dracaena Janet Craig, Boston Fern, Yuccas, and Rubber Plants. For more information on each of these species visit free online resources such as wikipedia or try a simpe google search.
So now you know why you need an office plant and which plants might be a good choice. Understand that an unkempt office plant can become a health hazard itself. You will need to keep your office plants healthy to reap the full benefits mentioned in this article.
