Tired? Stressed? You’ll Feel Better… with Plants in the Workplace!

There is something called ‘Sick Building Syndrome’ and although it might not sound familiar the symptoms might ring a bell. A study conducted by the Liverpool John Moores University has shown office workers becoming ill with these symptoms since work environments have incorporated air-conditioning constantly in their offices. Air-conditioning is not the only cause as contaminated fresh air can create similar issues.

Fresh air can be affected by emissions being released from the building and exhausts from cars in the area also creating ‘Sick Building Syndrome’. These symptoms can include headaches, itchiness of the eyes, nose and throat, as well as dizziness. Though these are not lingering issues (usually resolved a few moments after leaving the workplace) they still create an inconvenience for at least eight hours a day. This creates inactivity in the workplace as people feel themselves declining even if they are keeping cool.

But this is where it all turns around. By incorporating plants into the work environment workers are able to fight back against these symptoms. Plants are able to combat the negative effects of air-conditioning and the pollution in the air. The air is purified through the process of photosynthesis, leaving us a healthier work environment. This process can also help to remove unpleasant odours (maybe the stench of your desk buddy who forgot to use his deodorant this morning).

This is not all plants are capable of though. A study also found a higher productivity rate of employees when plants were brought into the workplace. This growth in productivity can also be due to having natural surroundings, claiming it can have a ‘reset button’ quality to it.

The only negative to real plants is the upkeep of them but luckily many indoor plants do not require much attention. Consider plants that only have to be watered once a week or less like aloe vera, a zebra plant or a peace lily.

Happy planting riders!