Bringing Nature Inside the Workplace Boosts Productivity, Scientists Say

Studies have shown that incorporating nature within the workplace can not only increase an employee's productivity but also improve a person's overall health. It is becoming an increasingly popular trend to incorporate a more versatile work environment as an alternative to the white walls, white ceilings, and gray carpet convention of an "office."

The workplace can not only affect an employee's performance but also significantly influence their health. A normal windowless and colorless cubicle can reduce a person's motivation for work and could even feel confining for a majority. Such incidents definitely increase an employee's stress levels, a problem most employers don't want to have.

According to a report from Forbes, one of the major causes of an employee's decline in productivity is stress, and there are a number of primary stressors within an office environment. It is common for employees who are suffering from stress to not only be less productive but also have higher absenteeism. Since stress is one of the major problems being experienced by employees in their workplace, employers must be aware of the different means for which this problem could be fixed.

Research has shown that incorporating nature's colors and shapes or even adding a few plants inside the work area could give a more refreshing vibe to the overall ambiance of the workplace. It has been shown to show positive effects on only a worker's stress levels but also in their general happiness and creativity.

A study from the Human Spaces Global Report has shown that people who worked with a more "natural" environment have shown 15 percent higher level of well-being and six percent higher level of productivity. Another study based on a report from Huffington Post has shown that exposure to sunlight have also increased an employee's job satisfaction and reduced depressed symptoms which are common to highly stressed employees.