Outside, In – Nature in the Workplace
With employees spending an average of 40 hours a week (sometimes more) in an office, their work environment can have a significant impact on their well being and performance. Companies lose billions of dollars every year due to high levels of employee stress, absenteeism, and loss of productivity. As a response, many companies are now using nature in the workspace to improve morale, health, and efficiency.
Studies like The Human Spaces report on Biophilic Design show that contact with nature in the workplace, no matter how small, can have notable effects on employee happiness and productivity. Another study on the effects of nature showed that as contact with nature increased during the workday, perceived stress and generalized health complaints decreased.
Companies have deployed concepts such as biophilia and sustainable design to stay ahead of the competition and increase overall productivity and performance in the workplace. Here are a few cases where companies are bringing these natural elements into the workplace.
Natural Light
In an article by Ben Tobin by CNBC, companies like retailer L.L. Bean demonstrate temporary office placements with more outside exposure to natural light. Their partnership with co-working space provider Industrious includes a setup of everything you’d expect from a regular conference room, but with an assembly of sturdy canopies, a roof and some open sides.
There are many theories as to why humans enjoy the outdoors and natural light. One of which concerns our inner desire to better connect with nature, and to be more visible to the outside world.
BOS Holdings recently helped Fiskars create a space centered around natural light. Watch a video on how this has benefited their organization in our showcase here.
Ford Motor Company’s redesign of their assembly plant near Detroit, MI incorporated 46 skylights, the largest of which were 3,000 square feet each. This method of skylighting helped save Ford on lighting costs and helped to reduce eye strain for people working on the assembly line, significantly improving the overall mood of their workforce.
Nature & Biophilia
Biophilia design brings nature-inspired elements indoors. From water features to wood furnishings and greenery, there are a variety of ways a company can freshen up their office interiors.
One call center located in the Netherlands held a clean and minimalist office, but employee productivity and staff morale were still low for unknown reasons. Office management experimented with plant placements scattered throughout the office. introducing a new visual focus and a relaxing natural element. As a result, employees demonstrated an increase in memory retention as proved through a series of standard tests.
Companies like Designtex are now producing biophilia textiles that can be easily incorporated in workspaces to bring a touch of nature in the workplace. Primarily used in healthcare environments, this fabric mimics nature by using textures, colors, and patterns that capture wildlife and the natural world.
Workplace design pioneers such as Amazon and Google have enacted positive changes with biophilic elements to help change the way we work. Amazon’s approved Seattle building, provides a direct link to nature, which features more than 40,000 plants, paludariums, and epiphytic trees.
Google’s workspaces are filled with plants, reclaimed wood, and wide views of nature. Their offices are designed to maximize employee health and satisfaction, and they often experiment with a range of biophilic design interventions, such as measuring employee’s proximity to daylight by hanging light meters around their necks. They used the data to inform new guidelines or design decisions on whether to install more skylights, thus creating vibrant and sensory space for better work.
Water, Wood, and Stone
If you want to blend natural materials into your existing layout, you can use reclaimed wood floors, layered stone covering pathways, and wall-hugging water fountains or waterfalls to bring more enjoyment to your employees who aspire to see natural elements at work. Exposed wood in office walls and reclaimed conference tables are just a couple ways companies are creating a natural look and feel.
Cloud computing business OVH recently remodeled their Quebec City workspace to incorporate both minimalism and biophilic design, and lighter toned woods mixed with an abundance of greenery. The result is an office space that excels in hosting different types of employee interactions.
Moss, Grass & Turf
Artificial grass can bring along the feeling of fun and calm into your space, especially after experiencing gloomy weather or a long winter season. Questor Insurance, a UK based Car Hire Excess and Travel Insurance company, uses artificial grass patches aligned with bean bag chairs to create a fun spot for employees to lounge in. You can even align your walls to the same effect, a practice that sports software company Hudl uses along the walls of their meeting rooms. If artificial grass is not your forte, many companies are now starting to use moss, which can be used in a wide variety of applications including walls, furniture, and even ceilings. Moss is low maintenance, long-lasting and has air purifying qualities.
Open Spaces
With the rise of open space design, there is a bigger need for companies to aid in proper air circulation and new workflow arrangements. Google also does an excellent job of pairing biophilic design and work environments by incorporating comfort spaces to help their employees stay more productive and relaxed at work. This also highlights Google’s brand as attentive and up-to-date on the latest trends in workspace design.
Hear long-time BOS client, Schneider Electric, discuss the importance of open office design in their new workspaces in this exclusive interview.
Ultimately, an office should cater to it’s employees. Creating a healthy balance of natural elements and sustainable design may be an investment, but studies show its impact on people will be worthwhile. When your team is fitted within an environment that supports their needs, they’re happier, more creative and more engaged to do great work
