How to make your sad employees work better
We, in the UAE, do realize the value of greenery much more than people coming from countries where growing plants is extremely easy. We toil in our gardens, get outside help to make that little patch of grass or get some pots to let the flowers bloom as the weather becomes tolerable.
And, all this work is entailed not just because plants give us oxygen or they look pretty but also because they contribute to the mental, physical and emotional well-being of people.
This increase in a person’s happiness quotient is not only limited at home but also at the workplace, so suggests a new study.
A recent study by a researcher at University of Queensland (UQ) in Australia studied and found that an office enriched with plants makes staff happier and boosts productivity by 15 per cent.
So, for those bosses, who are constantly trying to keep their employees happy to increase their work quality, this may seem a simple solution. The cost of having indoor plants is a lot less than sending employees for expensive training and motivational courses.
Co-authored by Professor Alex Haslam from UQ’s School of Psychology, this study found that adding plants to an office also improved employee satisfaction and quality of life. The professor says a green office helps employees become more physically, mentally and emotionally involved in their work.
“Office landscaping helps the workplace become a more enjoyable, comfortable and profitable place to be. Employees from previously lean office environments experienced increased levels of happiness, resulting in a more effective workplace,” he says.
The study was conducted in partnership with researchers from Cardiff University, the University of Exeter and the University of Groningen.
The benefits of foliage on the human brain not only impact adults sitting at their workstations but also little children in their work and play.
A previous study by the American Institutes for Research showed children who played outdoors had better levels of self-esteem and were more apt at conflict resolution, had better relationship with peers and were good at problem solving and in their behaviour.