Wellness programs are becoming an integral priority for most human resource managers. After all, research shows that a happier workplace is more productive. To this end, workplaces are adding health-related perks from exercise rooms to yoga classes. Leaders participate in mindfulness and compassion trainings and are coached to learn emotional intelligence. However, there is one important wellness factor that many are forgetting even though it may be the most potent of all: access to green spaces.
Why You Should Tell Your Team to Take a Break and Go Outside
Greenery isn’t just an air-freshener that’s pleasant to look at — it can actually significantly boost employee well-being, reduce stress, enhance innovative potential, and boost a sense of connection. Yet most of us don’t spend much time in nature. Exposure to green spaces profoundly enhances physical and mental well-being, which is why corporations like Google prioritize biophilia as a core design principle. Even a small green intervention like having more plants in the office could significantly boost employee happiness, and we know that happiness is a powerful predictor of an organization’s success. Greener office environments can boost employee performance and decision-making. One study found that exposure to greenery through office plants boosted not just employee well-being but also productivity – by 15%! Moreover, research shows that exposure to a natural environment helps people be less impulsive (while urban settings do the opposite). Nature can have a positive influence on workplace culture by strengthening employees’ values and leading to greater harmony and connection.