Many studies have shown that having nature present in your office can increase levels of happiness. Biophilia—the emotional affiliation of human beings to other living plants—has a huge impact on employees’ productivity and happiness levels. When workers are surrounded by elements of nature, they instantly feel less stressed. Natural elements placed in the workplace has a neurological reaction of the opioid receptors that send signals of pleasure to the brain.
A survey done by Human Spaces found that exposure to nature can increase people’s overall wellbeing and help them lead longer stress-free lives. Employees who worked in spaces incorporating nature into their design reported an overall 13% higher level of wellbeing and an 8% higher level of productivity. If you’re looking for a simple way to boost your employees’ morale, follow these tips below for incorporating the great outdoors into your office space design.
Let the Light In
Fluorescent lights are the most commonly found type of lighting in office spaces, but the truth is they’re bad for your eyesight and can lead to damage over time. When considering the design of your office, large windows and skylights are great for adding natural light and nature inside.
Sometimes working outside can be a nice change of pace. Take the Buoy with you! This piece is lightweight and easy to move. Take advantage of the beautiful outdoors, all while continuing to accomplish your workload.
Have Quiet Time
A large part of the benefits of being in nature is the peace and quiet it provides. To incorporate some of nature’s silence into your office, create soundproof spaces that are meant for workers to enjoy quiet time to refocus and relax. These spaces can be reserved through a simple sign up sheet so everyone in the office can benefit. Another idea is to have a small period of time every couple of hours dedicated to silence. The whole office can try to refrain from unnecessary chatter and noise to provide an overall peaceful and rejuvenating mood. Soothing nature sounds can be played in the background as well.
With quiet time somewhat hard to come by in the office, there are a few things that we can do to help. The Mackinac can set up a complete workstation, and set aside a place for some quiet recollection.
The SnapCab Pods also allow for some quiet reflection, as well as productivity with work performance. Work alone, or with a colleague in these standalone offices.
Plenty of Plants
Nothing says nature more like plants. Get some easy to care for potted trees, flowers, and succulents to place around the office. Not only do plants add an excellent sense of style to your office space design, but they’re rejuvenating qualities will boost happiness amongst employees. Try placing the plants in common areas like the break room and walkways. Aloe plants have air filtering qualities and are excellent plants to keep on or near a desk.
Add Water
Water is a very calming aspect of nature, both being submerged in it and listening to the sounds it creates. While it may not be practical to build a pool in the middle of your office, you can still incorporate water into your design plans. By a small fountain or waterfall standing fixture that mimics the sounds of a trickling stream. Another way to incorporate water is to hang pictures or paintings of lakes and the ocean around the office. You can even try buying a fish tank for a friendly water-loving pet to keep you company throughout the day. For more tips on how your office space design can have an effect on your employees’ happiness, check out our post How to Implement Beautiful Colors into Your Office Design.
Connect With Us
As you prepare to move forward in this new year, and the many changes that your business has planned, we are here to help bring them to fruition. Making updates to workspaces can be hard to visualize, but with our expert help, we can make the process easy for you. Come into one of our locations today, or contact us via our website. Our wide selection of products can assist in increasing productivity and also the aesthetic appeal of your work area. We look forward to assisting you this year!