Over the years, many office employees have recognized the benefits of adding a small succulent or bouquet of flowers to their work desk. An increasing number of studies prove the effects of keeping some form of greenery nearby during the workday, including boosts in productivity and creativity — things you can always use more of in a successful business.

But how can a simple cactus provide such significant benefits in the workplace? Plants are simply one of the easiest design options you can use to start building a more productive office.

Setting the Stage for a Productive Work Environment

In an office that does important work like yours, success starts at the very base level of having a functional space to complete the work. Having a quality workspace is one of the most crucial factors in creating quality work. The ideal office is comfortable and calm and includes pleasant natural decor and lighting, according to the WELL Building Standard™. This international building standard offers concepts that create healthier buildings employees can thrive in.

The WELL Building Standard identifies seven categories that you can use to improve building conditions:

Air quality: Use better filtration systems and green cleaning protocols to improve air quality.
Water: Encourage employees to drink more water by adding more convenient drinking locations.
Nourishment: Give clear nutritional information on any food you provide and offer healthier eating options.
Lighting: Maximize natural lighting and layer lighting to reduce eye strain.
Fitness: Provide spaces for physical activity in the building, including accessible stairwells and workstations.
Comfort: Make various areas for people to work in standing and sitting positions with different seating and views.
Mind: Increase employee access to nature and collaborative spaces.

Many of these categories cite introducing indoor plants as a solution since they can increase personal productivity and contribute to a beautiful work environment where people feel inspired to do their jobs.

Positive Effects of Having Fresh Flowers in Your Office

For humans, being around plants can have significant physical and mental benefits. Since many people spend just as many of their waking hours at their place of work as they do at home, having plants at the office can increase the benefits they'll feel and provide them with faster results. Let's look at how plants affect the body and the mind.

Physical Health

As plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the atmosphere, they filter bacteria and allergens. This means that having a plant nearby can improve the quality of the air people breathe in. For those with allergies, asthma, and other conditions that can affect the lungs, having the best air quality possible is vital to staying healthy and avoiding taking time off work.

While one plant may not do much to help the entire office, using a service like B Floral to introduce a lot of plants to the office can change your office's biome. In a populated area like an office, this can translate to keeping infectious particles that might otherwise result in a bout of the flu or something worse from jumping between employees.

By adding plants to your office space, you show your workers you care about their health. And as a benefit to the business, fewer sick people means fewer sick days, so more work gets done faster. And when people are feeling their best, they're working at their best, so you're almost guaranteed to see increased productivity.

Mental Health

Despite the impressive physical benefits, the true power of plants lies in how they can improve mental health and cognition. Spending more time around plants and nature can lead to:

Improved mood: Being in nature, or even just seeing plants, promotes a sense of calmness in the body. It can help people feel more relaxed and secure, improving one's mood and decreasing levels of cortisol, the hormone responsible for stress.
Increased creativity: Being calm aids in focus, which can lead to creativity. Whether plants help your employees develop innovative ideas or come up with new solutions to old problems, plants can inspire changes that can increase efficiency and boost morale.
Better memory: You remember things better when you're calm than when you're in a rush and distracted. Plants contribute to decreased stress, and a less anxious mind has a better ability to learn and create memories. With that in mind, it makes sense that an office with plant life has fewer forgotten meetings and birthdays and more recall from training exercises and company memos.

The Best Indoor Plants for Your Business

Clearly, it's in your best interest to invest in some indoor plants for your office. Now comes the real challenge — which plants will your employees love above the rest? While the options are limitless and there's no wrong decision, these are some of our favorite plants to elevate an office:

Succulents, cacti, and air plants: For the modern office, these plants are a great place to start, thanks to their unique colorings and durable natures. These plants naturally need very little water and are happy to spend their days in indirect light as your employees work away.
Snake and spider plants: These hearty greens are some of the first choices for aspiring indoor gardeners, as they'll stand up against almost anything! Their beautiful multi-colored patterns also make them real eye-catchers that stand out against a mountain of paperwork.
Daises: As one of the most common wildflowers, daisies have associations with happiness and sunny days. Their classic white petals mesh with any office color scheme, but they also come in warm pinks, reds, and yellows to brighten up a drab room.
Carnations: These flowers come in almost any color and have a vase life of nearly two weeks, so the office will be able to enjoy them day after day.

Many of these plants can survive in low-light and low-water conditions, making them an excellent choice for even the busiest, most crowded offices!

Let B Floral Help Boost Your Office's Productivity

The biophilia hypothesis is the concept that humans desire connections with other animals, plants, and life forms in nature. Satisfying this need by including plants in your office's interior decorating scheme can make everyone inside feel happier, healthier, and more connected to the world around them. A happy person is more productive, so you can see why it's in your business's best interest to add some greenery to the workplace.

B Floral can transform your office into a powerhouse of productivity where employees thrive. Our specialty is creating eye-catching floral designs and arrangements that can boost moods and appeal to visitors, guests, and executives. Contact us today to discuss all the possibilities your office holds.