One Small Thing to Make Your Workspace Better

If you were asked what one small thing would improve your workspace the most, what would be your answer?

Would it be having a Barista coffeemaker on tap?
Or perhaps you’d like a nap pod for those times when you desperately need a 5-minute break?

The Human Spaces Report asked that question and found that 44% of the respondents said more natural light was their number one wish, while 20% wanted more plants around the office.

When it comes to determining how you feel about where you spend your time at work, it’s been shown that the working environment is just as important as any other.

Office design has been cited as being an important determinant by 33% of those surveyed to whether they would choose to work for a particular employer. Having worked in a previous life in a windowless room with no redeeming features other than having a door through which I could escape at the end of my shift, I get just how important operating in a workspace that feels safe, comfortable and aesthetically pleasing matters.

Biophilic design is the inclusion of natural elements in our living and working environments. Whether or not you’re interested in nature, the science speaks for itself. Work by the University of Exeter has shown we are more productive (by 6-15%) and more creative (by 15%) in an environment that has plenty of natural light and indoor plants.

Moreover, inviting nature in has been shown to reduce stress (including cortisol levels), lower blood pressure and improves mood and cognitive function.

How wonderful to have a workplace you look forward to spending time in. It also fosters more positive interaction with colleagues, greater collaboration and innovation, which begs the question:

Can any employer afford not to include biophilic elements in their workplace?

It may not be possible to enlarge the existing windows, but what ways can you think of that would improve the amount of natural light entering your workspace? Can the window treatments be changed, and which indoor plants could be installed to provide a greener outlook and improve the air quality of the office at the same time?

Other #onesmallthings to try:

• Add a small low-maintenance plant to your desk. It’s been shown that having a plant in the periphery of your vision helps reduce mental fatigue and restores attention.
• Install a planter box with an assortment of small plants that invite interest as you walk past.
• Living walls, hanging baskets and trailing plants can be easily installed at relatively low cost.
• Use natural wood for flooring, stone and hang nature-themed pictures. You might be used to watching nature documentaries on a ceiling screen while in the dental chair, but what about glass panels of clouds or water as an alternative?
• Change your desktop screen saver to a natural green image.
• Add some natural-coloured cushions or other soft furnishings that are soothing to the eye and mind.
• Make the windows openable to allow fresh air in – depending on where you are, and the prevailing climate!
• Create a nature corner with a comfy chair as a place to relax.
• Say thank you to a colleague with a gift of a living plant.

Going green at work for better health and wellbeing doesn’t have to be radical or expensive. Sometimes it’s the lightest and smallest of green touches that can have the biggest impact.

What #onesmallthing will you do to make your workspace better?