How to Decorate an Office with Plants

How to Decorate an Office with Plants

The modern office is fast moving away from the typical grey spaces that are simply filled with desks and office chairs. As with the home, decorating an office with plants has become an increasingly popular way to add some character and a more stylish feel to an office. But the question of how to decorate an office with plants is where many businesses struggle.

In this guide, we’ll look at some of the reasons that adding plants to your office environment can have a positive effect on the workforce and how to go about complementing your office space with the addition of some greenery.

Why are Plants Good for Office Space?

There’s a reason that more and more people are now using indoor plants to improve their home décor, and that trend is quickly spreading to offices around the world. There are many reasons that indoor plants are great for offices and workplaces specifically, offering more than just a nice bit of greenery, but actually providing benefits for employers and staff alike.

What are the Benefits of Indoor Office Plants?

Visually Attractive

First things first, plants are a visually attractive way to spruce up your office décor with something a little different to the usual. Whether you opt to go for a few well-placed pot plants or a more audacious ‘living wall’, adding an extra splash of greenery to the office space can really help to brighten it up.

Reduce Stress

Many psychologists argue that the colour green has a relaxing and calming effect, meaning an abundance of plants and greenery can have the same benefits. Similarly, research from Washington State University actually found that the blood pressure of office workers was lower in places where there was an abundance of plants. They also found participants to be more attentive when there were plants in their working environment.

Clean the Air

It’s a well-known fact that plants are great for the environment by improving air quality and removing pollutants from the air. Most offices have sealed air and can contain many more pollutants than outside air, this means that keeping plants in your office can also do a great job of cleaning the air and making the office a nicer place to be for employees. This can contribute to lower sickness levels.

Reduce Noise

Ever worked in an office where it feels like every noise, from loud typing to people on calls, reverberates around the whole room? Plants can do a very useful job of absorbing these sounds and lowering the general noise levels within an office. One tip is to place larger potted plants in the corners of the room and around the edges for more effective noise reduction.

Increase Productivity

According to a study from the University of Exeter, employee productivity increases by 15% when ‘lean’ work environments are filled with a selection of indoor plants. The study also found that adding a single plant in every square metre improved employee memory retention. Add this to improved health, better concentration from the reduction of noise and lower stress levels and there’s a good argument that all the other positive effects combine to increase productivity levels even further.

Where Should Plants Be Placed in an Office?

When it comes to where you should place plants in your office, it all depends on how your office is laid out and how much light you get into the environment. If you have an office that has large bay windows and gets good sunlight throughout the day, then you’ll be best placing your plants there. It all depends on the type of plant and the environment that it thrives in.

In terms of positioning them for employee welfare, it’s always a good idea to keep as many plants as possible in immediate sight of your employees. This way, when they look up from their desks, they’re able to see the plants and make the most of the benefits these plants bring to their mood and productivity. To effectively achieve this, having plants on desks, as well as taller potted plants and even a living plant wall can be a great way to ensure plants are always visible around your workspace.

What Plants Do Well in Office Lighting?

The best plants for an office are always the ones that thrive in low levels of light. Despite many offices having high levels of LED light during the daytime, it can often be difficult to find a way to position your office plants to ensure they’re all near windows and can make the most of any sunlight.

Here are a few suggestions for the perfect plants to use in your office:

Palms

Palm plants can be a great option if you’ve got space in your office for some taller plants. Taller plants are great as they can be more effective for noise reduction and can be seen from more places in the office, making it feel like there’s more plant life than if you had smaller plants on the floor or desks. They’re also quite low maintenance, so if you’re worried about people forgetting to water them every day, they should be more robust.

Succulents

Succulents, such as cacti, are well-known for surviving in some of the most inhospitable environments on Earth – so your office should be no problem! One big positive of succulent plants is that they don’t require too much water, in fact, they can even be over-watered at times. It’s also worth remembering that they will require a little sunlight so could do with claiming a position by the window.

Ferns

Another type of plant that most people will have seen and heard of before, ferns are known to do well without much natural light. Unlike the others on this list, they do need relatively good care when it comes to keeping them moist.

Some other plants to consider are those in the aroid family which are well-known for being relatively low maintenance. These are just a few suggestions when it comes to choosing your plants, but it all depends on your taste and the locations you have available for greenery in your office.

The benefits of plants in the office can be really great for employers and employees and just as important as choosing a comfortable chair when it comes to feeling great and being productive in the workplace.