What if there was a way to improve the productivity, well-being and creativity of employees just by changing their view?
There is, according to science. And it is not a ping-pong table or yoga studio.
A report last year from Human Spaces, led by organisational psychologist professor Cary Cooper, found that being surrounded by plants improves well-being levels by 13 per cent and the productivity of the workforce by 8 per cent. Many architects and workplace experts agree.
“Not only is there a positive visual connection with greenery, but also there are some scientific benefits as well. Things like improving indoor air quality,” says Richard Fenne, a principal architect at Woods Bagot and a committee member of the Middle East Council for Offices.
“Most office workers are exposed to toxins in their work environment with things like volatile organic compounds and carbon dioxide. Plants help to metabolise those toxins,” he says. “They help to clean the air. Having better air quality improves productivity. If there is more oxygen in the air, people get less tired.”
There are several options for going green in the office. The first and cheapest is to add a few potted plants around the office. But for stronger results, consider a living wall, or vertical garden, which costs about Dh4,500 to Dh5,000 per square metre, according to Siddharth Peters, the managing director of The Total Office, which sells them.
“You can choose your plants and then we work with a full LED spectrum of lights that can provide the photosynthesis for the plants. We work with a company to pick the right plants for the space and then we work out the irrigation,” he says. “And we have a remote system that if something goes wrong with the irrigation it sends an email automatically to facilities.”
Another option is a moss wall, which costs between Dh1,500 to Dh2,000 per square metre and requires less maintenance.
“It is moss that comes out of the Scandinavian countries. It doesn’t need soil, just a little spray, like a barber’s spray, which helps it stay nice and soft. It still gives you that green [feature] with less maintenance and less cost,” says Mr Peters.
q&a make a better workspace
Siddharth Peters, the managing director of The Total Office, tells Gillian Duncan more about the concept behind the business:
Tell me about the business.
It is a family business, so I got the big call back to help out. My dad wasn’t keeping well so I had to come and help with the business and 13 years later we’re still here. The business has been here for about 20 years now. We sell tables and chairs as our core business but one of the things we really feel responsible for and why people work with us is because we are constantly looking for ways to improve the work experience. I think this is a very key thing and this is where a lot of our products have evolved.
What’s the aim of your enterprise?
Our aim is to show people different concepts of how to work, what could happen and have people find their line as to where they want to be between the traditional workspaces and the Googles of this world.
What’s your own workspace like?
Oh wow, I have the luxury of using any space in our showroom. We have a working showroom and when I have private conversations I jump into my room, otherwise I try to sit with our team outside. I try to sit on a height-adjustable table that our designers use because each space gives you a very different feel. Your energy is very different in that space, your ability to react. I love working in different spaces just to get a different energy vibe. It stops the brain adjusting to a certain habit.
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