At Blooming Buildings, we see nature as ‘the gift that keeps on giving’. In this series of Blooming Blogs, we will highlight the benefits of greenery one by one. This time, we will tell you how greenery positively impacts employee satisfaction, the work atmosphere, and the overall health and well-being of employees as a result of a well-planted workplace.
Since the coronavirus pandemic, working people in the Netherlands have discovered how easy it is to work from home. By now, we can go back to the office, but working from home has become fully integrated. We have entered a so-called “dido economy”: on Tuesdays and Thursdays we go to the office, and the rest of the days we work from home.
The integration of working from home has its advantages. There are fewer traffic jams (except on Tuesdays and Thursdays), you don’t need to arrange childcare if your child is sick, and you can easily run errands in between. But it also has disadvantages. Online meetings work well when everyone is online, less so when half are at home and half are at the office. And from time to time, you need to see each other in person to keep the team spirit high. Too much working from home weakens the bond with the company and the colleagues you work with. And that’s a shame.
Many employers struggle with the question: how do I get my people to the office? Our solution: more greenery in the form of high-quality, biodiverse planting that offers something to experience 365 days a year, both indoors and outdoors.
How does it work? By providing good planting indoors, you not only create a work environment where people want to come, but also one in which they are more productive. With good planting, you improve the air quality and acoustics of a space. Additionally, plants have a calming effect on people, reducing stress. For example, looking at Lab Digital, for which we designed the interior planting, you can see how distinctive greenery helps them not only retain staff but also attract new employees. An employee survey even revealed that the planting was the main reason to come (back) to the office.
Outdoor planting also makes your employees happier and healthier. Research from Wageningen University has shown that greenery contributes to social cohesion. People who live in a green environment go outside more often to walk or meet neighbors. It’s the same in a work environment. If you provide a beautiful, green environment, more colleagues will take a walk during their break. And in good weather, one-on-one meetings can take place outside. We see that the outdoor garden of the Groothandelsgebouw in Rotterdam, which we have laid out, is used for working and meetings.
Feel free to contact us, we are happy to tell you much more. You can call us (020 261 81 71) or email us (info@bloomingbuildings.nl). And you are always welcome for a cup of coffee or tea at Bloemgracht. Then you can immediately see how we have made our cozy space even cozier with an abundance of delightful greenery.
