Enjoy The Beauty Of An Office Garden

Changing up some space at the office or converting a roof space into a garden is a nice way to bring about employee engagement while fostering a renewed sense of happiness.

Green In The City
Corporate gardens are now starting to sprout up everywhere. Back in 2001, a law firm won the award for biodiversity after creating hives for over 80,000 bees on their converted rooftop. There is now a regular Gardening and Bee Club that meets where the staff can take a break from the office bustle to relax and become more involved with the honey production that is then offered to clients.

The Bloomsbury Street Hotel also grows food, along with places like the Trades Union Congress and the Mischon de Raya law firm. These are spaces where wildflowers grow and roots are put down as a way to encourage the staff to make good use of the garden areas on a regular basis.

Linda Zell, the head of corporate responsibility at the Olswang firm noted that the bees were brought in first and then they realized how important it was to have plants and flowers available for them to feed. Now there are over a dozen employees that work in the garden while the rest will use it as a space for winding down and a much-needed rest. The planting days are scheduled by the staff and people will switch on and off watering the plants two times per day. She also states that they have had growing competitions and they often produce herbs and vegetables for the canteen regularly. 

Zell says that a garden is a nice place for having a tranquil moment, which many staff members will need. It also brings about a solid sense of engagement and the company works to donate about five percent of their work time on an annual basis. There is a great combination between the garden and ethos, so everyone works hard in the company and also has a great passion for the gardening aspect. A fountain can be a lovely addition and also help you and employees to relax - here is some useful information on outdoor fountains and how they could be of benefit. Employees will eat lunch there and value their time to take breaks to de-stress and unwind.

Engaging Naturally
There are countless studies showing just how incredible nature can be to rejuvenate the senses, which is another reason why gardening in the workplace is so widely accepted. The Forestry Commision put out a statement reporting that natural spaces are wonderful for recharging the brain while also helping employees with a way to direct their attention to certain tasks while recommencing focus. The report also noted that engaging with nature takes very little effort.

Right in the heart of London, the Great Ormond Street Hospital offers a rooftop garden for the workplace. However, there are areas that are landscaped that are also powerful. A digital agency called McCann Manchester located on the Bonis Hall Grounds allows the staff to enjoy eight stunning parkland acres, which includes seven allotments that are used for growing things like herbs, strawberries, and vegetables.

The talent and development director, Louise Jackson, stated that people often have a sense of creativity and imagination that is ignited by such an open space. Staff is able to remove and recharge from all of the hustle and bustle of the workday. Feeback overwhelmingly shows that the environment is loved and they all believe that this is a factor that makes the employees want to stay at the company longer.

Plants And Wellness
The best news is that you never have to feel left out if you are lacking an area of lawn because you can work on converting it yourself. A firm never needs a large outdoor area to gain all of the benefits that come from staff engagement that greenery provides. It can be equally beneficial when working to bring the outdoors inside.

You also will find that the sounds of nature, such as water, will create a similar effect. Outdoor Water Pros offers water fountains that can easily be added to any smaller space while also adding to the aesthetic appeal.   

University of Exeter scientists also discovered that plants brought into the office space will boost both productivity and wellbeing by nearly 30%. There are additional studies done in Norway that show how indoor plants can remove about 87% of the toxins that are found in the air, lower fatigue amongst staff, and even cut down on cough and cold outbreaks by about 30%.

Regardless of the size or scope of your business space, you can get started right away on planting a variety of seeds so that you and your employees or coworkers can beging to enjoy the natural space that is created. The possibilities are endless and you will be able to reap the benefits sooner than you think.