The pandemic has demonstrated the positive impact that connecting with nature has on wellbeing. The benefits of the greening of office space.

Nature is a source of wellbeing for many, and particularly during the pandemic and lockdown restrictions, which have heightened our appreciation for local parks and green spaces. This has also provided employers with an opportunity to rethink and integrate nature into workplaces to better improve their employees’ wellbeing at work.

As more employees return to the office, now is the time for employers to recognise the positive physical and mental health benefits of connecting with nature. Employers can take action by incorporating biophilic (nature-oriented) design into their workplaces, by introducing natural elements like plants, water and wood (Gillis & Gatersleben, 2015). Our toolkit, The Power of Nature for Employee Wellbeing, looks at how incorporating nature into workspaces can make a huge difference in how employees feel when they are focussing, communicating and dealing with workplace pressures. Research has demonstrated that worker productivity increases 15% and reaction times improve by 12% when office spaces include plants (Morrison & Hartley, 2020), while call handlers’ response times jump by 6% when they have a view of nature in the workplace.

Employers need to think of mental health in the same way as physical health, especially when it comes to work. This could be something simple like implementing natural sunlight through windows which can help improve colleagues’ mood throughout the day, and even adding pictures of landscapes and images of water. Research has found that natural environments, such as having green designs, sunlight and workspaces that encourage movement, can all make a positive impact on an employee’s experience and comfort level at work (Al Horr, et al, 2016).

By having green areas in the workplace, companies are taking the opportunity to improve colleagues’ concentration and focus, boost their creativity and enhance their wellbeing at work (BITC, 2021). For example, Anglian Water embraced the concept of biophilic design for the workplace and introduced green spaces in their offices to help employees connect with nature. They created allotments, wellbeing gardens and memorial gardens in unused spaces on their water treatment facilities to provide spaces for their employees. They also provided a cycle to work scheme for employees to get exercise and enjoy clean air, as well as access to showers at work. Research has shown that office workers who have access to natural elements at work, such as green spaces and sunlight, report a 15% higher level of wellbeing than their peers (Greenplantsforgreenbuildings, 2015).

The pandemic has acted as a catalyst for people to wake up to the power of nature and has provided an opportunity for businesses to act and establish nature as a key strand of integrated wellbeing. Taking action to introduce green spaces like this are key for the future of the office, and employers have the chance to reimagine how our offices will work. Businesses like Anglian Water have shown they can work quickly to implement changes that look after their employees’ wellbeing. We know that companies can change their workspaces for an optimal green design that will make employees happier and healthier for the future. If they act now, today’s employees will want to come to work tomorrow.