What varieties of plants are most suitable for the work environment? If you work in HR, you will no doubt have worked on numerous initiatives to motivate the employees working for your company and improve their wellbeing; however, one thing you may not have considered is the impact of the plants that sit on desks and in planters around your workplace.
It may be worth brushing up on your horticultural knowledge, as your choice of plants can have a positive effect on both efficiency and overall wellbeing.
Plants in the workplace not only improve the environment for your employees by reducing airborne dust levels, noise and air temperatures but can also increase humidity, which is known to improve air quality. This has overall health benefits and has been shown to make staff more productive and boost concentration.
An additional health benefit is the ability of plants to reduce levels of airborne toxic pollutants, such as benzene, nitrogen dioxide and formaldehyde, meaning the air is much safer to breathe and people generally feel better.
What varieties of plants are most suitable for the work environment? Before you head down to your local garden centre, read on to find out more.
Spider plants
This very well-known and popular plant has been rated as a top performer for improving air quality and reducing employee stress levels in a study published by the University of Hawaii.
The humble spider plant also effectively removes airborne dust and works wonders for allergy sufferers. They are easy to look after and do well without a great deal of sunlight, making them well-suited to poorly-lit offices and cubicles.
Philodendrons
The philodendron is a plant variety that is very adaptable to its environment, meaning it can thrive in most offices. They will flourish without a lot of direct sunlight all year round and need little watering or maintenance.
This plant has the useful ability to scrub xylene – a common toxic substance occurring in many products such as leather and glue – from its surrounding air.
Snake plants
Snake plants are incredibly resilient and can survive with little watering or care. They are very effective at removing toxic benzene and formaldehyde, amongst other things, from the air around them.
Golden pothos
The golden pothos was recognised by NASA as a super-effective air cleaner due to its uniquely-shaped leaves. This heart-shaped foliage can remove over 70 per cent of airborne pollutants under test conditions; in addition, the plant is particularly low maintenance.
These are just four of the many varieties of attractive and hardy plants you can bring into your workplace to boost the health and wellbeing of your employees. If this makes for a happier and more productive team, it seems to be a win-win initiative.
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