The Benefits of Biophilic Design For Your Workplace

February 07, 2022 Kate Higham

Let’s be honest; the past two years have left many of us feeling drained, stressed out and a little fed-up with our surroundings.

With the recent news of restrictions lifting and the slow return to the workplace, teams are looking to recharge and refocus.

To do so, most of us often look to nature.

Humans have an instinctive bond with nature and our natural surroundings.

And with the boundaries of work and personal life becoming increasingly blurred, biophilic design can be a powerful way to recuperate it. It can help clear our mind, reduce stress and increase our energy levels.

Biophilic Design is the practice of connecting people and nature within our built environments and communities. Today, plants are widely used to introduce a biophilic element to a space and help improve the quality and health of our workspaces.

group of young people holding potted indoor plants

Key benefits of biophilic design

Biophilic design is a strategy to support everyone’s health and well-being in the workspace through the design of the space itself. It has a laundry list of far-reaching benefits, including:

Improved productivity & concentration levels: Better air quality, a greater sense of wellbeing, and an increase in oxygen levels can decrease mental fatigue and, in turn, help us to feel more focused and productive.

Enhanced employee well-being: Introducing biophilic elements into the workspace has a real tangible impact on your business’s bottom line. When employees work in a happy and healthy environment, absenteeism falls, and staff productivity and output increase.

Greater staff retention: Biophilic office design can help engage staff and provide them with a workplace where they enjoy being and hence don’t want to leave.

Creativity Blossoms: No matter what field you work in, contemporary businesses know the importance of an inspiring workspace. A more stimulating workplace filled with light, colour and life allows creativity to flourish.

Small office space with a selection of large indoor plants

Introducing plants to your workplace

Indoor plants can make your office space greener, both literally and metaphorically. By including greenery in your office, you will improve the indoor air quality and, ultimately, the people's overall health in the office.

Plants wear many hats.

Beyond the aesthetics, added greenery can act as insulation, help clean the air, reduce noise pollution, and even be linked to stress reduction!

Humidifier: Plants release approx 79% of the water they take in. Grouping several plants in one spot can increase the room’s humidity, which can help prevent dry skin, colds, sore throats, and dry coughs.
Air Filter: Did you know that indoor air can be as much as 12 times more polluted than outside air?! Plants remove up to 87% of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), often found in paint, furnishing and building materials, every 24 hours.
Mood Booster:Plants have been used as part of a natural form of therapy for decades due to the powerful association of green with feelings of relaxation and calm. Numerous studies suggest that interacting with nature in some form can help reduce stress, lower blood pressure, encourage faster healing and increase overall happiness.
Noise pollution reducer: According to studies, workers lose as much as 86 minutes per day due to noise distractions. Plants have the power to reduce noise by absorbing noise vibrations through their leaves. In many incidents, the careful positioning of plants around the edges of office spaces can significantly reduce (up to 60%) noise and reduce common distractions caused by chatter & video calls.

Best plants for the workplace

We get asked regularly for our advice on the best plants for workspaces.

Ultimately, it comes down to your environment and factors such as light, temperature & footfall.

Generally speaking, we recommend low-maintenance plants that can handle limited natural light and thrive in warm, busy environments.

Here are 3 of our top picks that work in most office settings:

Snake Plant

The Sanseveria or Snake plant is the perfect example of a plant ideally suited to the office. Unlike many indoor plants, it converts carbon dioxide to oxygen and releases it at night rather than daytime. This ensures 24/7 office air purification. Snake Plants are extremely water-tolerant and love the dry heat of our centrally heated workspaces. It also loves heavy fluorescent light and easily adapts to window-less conditions.

Large kentia palm plant against a wooden background

Kentia Palm

The Kentia Palm is an extremely popular and trendy indoor plant and is loved by all for its exotic beachy appearance. But it’s not all about looks. The Kentia palm is also very low-maintenance. It can tolerate a certain level of neglect and quickly adapts to low light and indoor temperatures better than any other palm. Kentia palms can be a striking feature for entrance spaces or unused corners. In fact, under the right conditions and care, a Kentia palm will, over time, develop into an excellent specimen plant, up to 10 feet tall!

Small pothos plant in a white plant pot

Devil’s Ivy

Not only is the devil’s ivy one of the best plants for increasing O2 levels, but it is also a plant that is super easy to grow and maintain. It will grow in semi-shade and can tolerate irregular watering, making it the perfect option for busy offices.