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Interior plants can reduce business costs during
the credit crunch |
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In the drive to save money
during the current economic downturn, some companies may
look to reducing the number of plant displays they have
in their offices to reduce costs.
However it has been proven
in repeated scientific investigations, that having plant
displays in the office can actually save companies money
by reducing staff absenteeism and increasing
productivity.
One study looked at the
effect on the health of staff in the radiology
department of a Norwegian hospital. Once plants were
placed in the department and artificial daylight was
introduced, the level of health complaints amongst those
studied fell noticeably. This resulted in a
permanent reduction in absence due to illness from 15%
to 5% within 6 months.
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| Symptom |
Reduction in
complaints (%) |
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| Eye irritations |
-15% |
| Dry throat |
-31% |
| Fatigue |
-32% |
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Cough |
-38% |
| Headache |
-45% |
A recent article in the
Daily Telegraph reported on a study conducted by Tina
Bringslimark of the
Agricultural University of Norway.
This research showed that having plant displays in the
office can improve workers health and reduce the number
of days they have off sick. Thereby reducing a companies
overheads and making it more competitive in times of
recession.
Tina Bringslimark,
an expert in environmental psychology, looked at 305
office workers in three offices with differing amounts
of greenery.
"We investigated the
amount of self-reported sick leave there was and
compared it with the amount of plants they could see
from their desk.
"The more plants they
could see, then the less self-reported sick leave there
was."
Her study builds on work
at the Norwegian institution (see findings above) which
found that plants appeared to reduce office workers'
fatigue, dry throats, headaches, coughs and dry skin.
"There are likely to be
several explanations for this," said Prof Grete Patil,
of the university.
"Possibly the most
straightforward is that plants and the microbes in the
soil are good at removing volatile, organic compounds
that can affect health. There could also be a
psychological explanation in that people believe plants
are healthier and are likely to evaluate their own
health more optimistically."
This research follows on
from earlier research by Prof Tove Fjeld at the
Agricultural University of Norway. Over 4 studies – in
an office, schools & a hospital – Fjeld like
Bringslimark found that plants in the workplace reduced
minor symptoms as detailed above.
She also found that the
air was cleaner in the planted rooms and that planting
could have a very positive effect on sick leave;
following the study in the hospital x-ray department
sickness was reduced by more than 60%.
An American study, at
Washington State University, found that plants reduced
workers' stress and
improved their reaction times by 12 per cent. Those who
worked alongside plants performed better than those in a
plant-free zone when they took part in a boring computer
test that required concentration for 20 to 30 minutes.
Workers in a green office also had lower blood pressure
and less mental fatigue.
Source: NIGZ Division
Work & Health, coinsdig.com, The Daily Telegraph.
For more information click on
the link below:
Why
bother with office planting
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