Full time office workers spend roughly 8 hours every Monday to Friday at the office. And that from their mid-twenties all the way to retirement age in many cases!

It stands to reason that offices should be pleasant paces to work and spend time at, but unfortunately, that’s not always the case. Too many offices are still bleak, grey places that people cannot wait to leave when the clock hits five.

A very easy way to make offices more comfortable, pleasant places is to add office plants. Plants in office spaces make the spaces look warmer and more welcoming, but the also have some additional benefits that you don’t want to miss out on.

1. Cleaner air: Plants reduce carbon dioxide levels in the air and produce oxygen, which is just what we need to survive and thrive.
2. Stress reduction: Being in nature reduces stress, and so does bringing nature into your office space.
3. Increased productivity: Reduced stress can lead to increased focus, and therefore to increased productivity. The fact that plants help clean the air and provide more oxygen also plays a role here.
4. Reduced noise levels: Larger plants can be used as space dividers, giving more privacy to chosen areas, and also preventing noise travelling from one end of an open plan office to the other. This can also be a factor that helps boost productivity.
5. Improved creativity: Artists often retreat to nature to get inspired, so why not bring the inspirational power of nature into your office where creative problem solving is needed daily?
6. Possibly fewer sickness related absences: There are some studies linking the presence of office plants to feelings of better health among office workers, which is likely related to the reduced stress and the fact that plants seem to induce a greater feeling of general wellbeing.

So, what are you waiting for? Try introducing some greenery into your office, and see if it makes your long days there a little easier.