Do you want more productive office workers? Get Biophilia in the office!

Nature has a positive influence on most of us. That lovely sun on your face or even a breath of fresh air will all do us well. This also applies to the office.  Nature or Biophilia in the Office provides more welfare, creativity and productivity. 

This is the outcome of a global research of Interface (floorcoverings) under 7,600 office workers from 16 countries in North and South Europe, The United Kingdom and Asia. The research was led by English professor Sir Cary Cooper. Work stations with natural elements provide 15 percent more welfare, 15 percent higher creativity and 6% higher productivity.

Ideal work place

When it comes to the ideal workplace, 55% of the UK respondents call daylight as a favorite feature. However, 24 percent of them have no natural light and 4 percent don’t even have a window in the workplace.
Despite the results, natural elements in the office are not part of an everyday office interior. Almost half of respondents (47 percent) report they have no natural light in their work place and almost 58 percent have no plants. This is almost in line with the European results, with 55 percent and 42 percent no daylight has no plants.

Productivity

If it’s about productivity, 39 percent of respondents prefer a private office space, while 36 percent of them feel more productive when working in an open office space. This is also in line with the results from 2014 (40 and 31 per cent). In our country nearly half feel more productive in a private office space. Only 17 percent of workers feel the most productive in an open-plan office interior design.

Urban environment

It all sounds nice having more nature in the office, but the research shows that 85 percent of respondents live and work in an urban environment, and spend between 40 and 49 hours a week there. In Europe and Dubai 82% of the employees work in an urban environment and most work amounts 30 to 39 hours a week.
Both the European and the new global report show that office workers have a strong affinity with elements that mimic nature.

Influence of the work environment

The research clearly demonstrates the link between the influence of the working environment, the quality of the office furniture Glasgow and productivity. “Modern organisations face the challenge of increasing urbanisation and to maintain the connection with nature”, says professor Sir Cary Cooper.
Contact with nature and Biophilic interior design that mimic nature to promote the health, performance and concentration and reduce stress. Having work spaces with natural elements like plants, sunlight and natural elements and color thus becomes increasingly important, “says Basil Arkel, head of sustainable development at Interface.

5 natural elements

In their favorite work environment British employees want the following 5 natural elements:
1. daylight (55 percent)
2. a quiet work environment (32 percent)
3. real plants (22%)
4. bright colors (16 percent)
5. the use of natural materials (14 percent)

The research is an expansion of an earlier study that was carried out last year in Europe and Dubai. The results are compiled in a report, called The Human Spaces report into The Global Impact of Biophilic Design.