A recent experiment conducted by the Flower Council of Holland (FCH) supports research that flowers have a positive effect on the work environment.
To test the theory, the FCH decided to trial this in two separate and unconnected locations.
It was in October 2007, when two departments at the University of Leeds and TMP Worldwide, a recruitments solution company in London, England were invaded with flowers and plants to see what impact, if any, they might have. Neither of the departments knew that the survey was being carried out and so the initial arrival of the flowers and plants came as a surprise.
The flowers and plants were maintained over the following 12 weeks and then, following a gap of three to four weeks, the FCH asked employees at both locations to score a number of attributes and ‘mood indicators’. Were they happier with them, did they have a positive impact on the environment and their colleagues and so on?
The two locations were extremely diverse: by the nature of their core function – academic versus highly commercial; the physical characteristics of the offices themselves and the demographics of the employees.
Conclusions from the workplace
It was possible, however, to draw some clear conclusions from both groups.
Generally staffs at both locations were pleased to see the flowers and plants but there was a considerable difference in the north and the south. At the University of Leeds scores – where one was the most negative and 10 the most positive – were clustered around 4.7 and an additional 20 per cent took the opportunity to add their individual comments.
At TMP Worldwide scores averaged 6.9 and over 60 per cent added comments.
However, in general it seems the flowers and plants were met with a positive response
“Most people were pleased to see them”
“Plants quite effective and generally liked”
“Brightened the office”
“Flowers provided a talking point for staff and visitors”
“Brightens up my days especially Monday morning (flower and plant delivery day)”
“Definitely helped, certainly brightens up the place, made me happier …”
“Impressed new starters, showed we were successful”
“Aren’t I lucky to work in a company who cares?”
“Gave the office a new breath of life every week”
“Lifted the mood, helped productivity”
It seems that flowers and plants can have a marked impact on employees’ positive attitudes and motivations. Far from being a distraction communication seemed to be stimulated.
Did you know flowers and plants are good for us at work?
- Plants help to keep us calm – and can be used as part of wellness planning or stress management programs
- Plants make us feel ‘generally better’
- Plants help us concentrate – and therefore can make us as much as 8 per cent more productive
- Flowers make us smile
- Flowers and plants make us more creative
- Flowers and plants help us to generate more ideas
- Plants can make our working environment more comfortable by raising humidity levels
- Plants can reduce dust particles
- Plants clean the air
Source: various research papers that can be found on: www.plantsforpeople.org
Interesting facts:
- We breathe five to six litres of air per minute, 15,000 litres per day
- Plants clean the air naturally
- Plants emit oxygen for us to breathe and absorb carbon dioxide which we emit whilst breathing
- The air inside buildings can be up to 10 times more polluted than the air outside
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