Back to the Work Place with Plants

For those who have been out of the work place since the early days of the pandemic the transition back will be a new world on return. Some may welcome the return to: community, routine, and face to face contact, while others may have found the time away a welcome respite from: office politics, claustrophobic settings, or a physically and mentally toxic environment.

Whatever was left behind, the return is an opportunity for positive change.  There has definitely been time to re-evaluate what is important to us.  We return to the office knowing our health is the most important thing, and without that we have nothing.

Sick Building Syndrome

It may be a slow readjustment but there are things you can do to make the return a time for renewal and improvement.  One way is to green your office space. A study by the Harvard T.H.  Chan School of Public Health showed that air quality in the building impacted cognitive function.

Improving air quality to prevent: Sick Building Syndrome, reduce absenteeism, the spread of infections, and falling asleep during staff meetings, still lies in having adequate ventilation.

The once popular idea that plants could improve the air quality in an office, and remove certain toxins from the air has has since been modified.  While plants were able to improve air quality under certain conditions, as in the NASA Clean Air Study.  It is impractical to have the amount of plants needed to replicate the same results in a standard house.

Foliage plants were found to assist in maintaining relative humidity levels.  Studies conducted by Virgina Lohr (1992), found humidity levels in an indoor environment were more comfortable with plants present.

Plants as an aide to Change Management

There are many reasons to bring nature in the form of plants into your office space.  Numerous scientific studies have found that it provides benefits in the following areas:

• Mental health
• Increased productivity
• Boost moral

No matter how candy coated, your employer is paying you to be productive. And no matter how prehistoric it may now seem, it was once thought that cubicles, isolation, and lack of greenery were the way to go to prevent distractions to productivity, and achieve improved key performance indicators (KPIs).

I have worked in many offices throughout my career, and weathered many changes in style, from open concept large desks, to tiny miniature desks and spaces reminiscent of elementary school.

Now I am not suggesting offices should have hanging baskets of Belize Breeze, but returning to a greener space with plants can only benefit the transition.

Best Plants for Office Return

I will recommend the following plants as a starter pack for office return.  They have been chosen for their ease of care and there ability to not only survive  but to thrive in the office environment. Most importantly, they will bring nature, and the will studied benefits into the office and enhance our well being.

Peperomia obtusifolia (Baby Rubber Plant) 

There are over 1,00 species of this plant which is native to South America, Caribbean and Central America. It comes in a variegated version which is my favorite, and is closer to the succulent variety.

It needs to be kept out of direct sunlight.  The leaves curl over when thirsty so you will know it’s time to water and it is easy to propagate which makes is a great community sharing plant for the office.  Cuttings can be put in water or soil., and pruning will give you a nice bushy plant.  The flower is like a stem.  When I first saw one I wondered why the leaf would not unfurl, then I realized it was the flower.

Chlorophytum comosum (Spider Plant)

This is a familiar plant in many offices. I call this the office socialite plant because co-workers often divide the offspring of this plant and share with each other so there are usually many “spiderettes” propagating all over the office from the mother plant.

It is native to South Africa, and tolerates most conditions. It is fertile and in its element in an office environment. It adds a very tropical décor to the office as it leaves spread over and out.

Sanservieria Fernwood Mikado (Snake Plant)

There are many beautiful snake plant variations to choose from like the one below, but if you prefer a more compact version then the Sanervieria Fernwood Mikado is the one. This plant is a hardy succulent.  I got my plant from a major hardware chain store.  It was a tiny unlabeled specimen amongst the succulents, with leaves that looked like thick pointy green sticks.

It looks good in those small décor face pots, where you put a plant in and it looks like hair. It will grow quite large once free of its commercial binding.

It thrives in indirect light and a good potting soil plant mix. If you are away from the office and the designated person forgets to water it, this plant is forgiving. It is also pest resistant.

Saintpaulia (African Violets)

This plant is ideal for the office and is a lasting bouquet on the desk.  See this post for all the reasons why this is a great plant for the office. Cute, compact with pretty bouquet.

Recap

We have had one rough ride. Workers are returning to offices from home schooling, caregiving, loss of wages, and so much more.  Those who have worked from home will revaluate the necessity of things taken for granted such as the necessity of a commute, and the availability and use of technology for work outside of the office.

Plants will be an effective tool to aide the transition of a return to the office by creating a green space which has been shown to improve health in many scientific studies.  They help to reduce stress in office workers, and  increase productivity while providing an aesthetic flow in the office environment.  Creating a green space is a healthy space.

Have you returned to the office?  Are you bringing plants with you? Let us know in the comments below.