Introduction

It’s what’s on the inside that counts, because the average 9-5 corporate employee will likely spend at least half their waking hours at work in an indoor environment. This–the daily reality of masses of people–has prompted research into making indoor environments as conducive to health and wellbeing as possible.

What happens when the outside is brought inside to address the imbalance in where people spend their time? Systematic reviews and meta-analyses suggest that, broadly, indoor plants have positive stress-related impacts [2,3,4,8,11]. Viewing green “foliage plants”, such as non-patterned Epipremnum aureum (golden pothos or money plant) and Dracaena deremensis, or bamboo or bonsai trees may help stabilise prefrontal cortex activity, stabilise autonomic nervous activity, and lower blood pressure, indicating physiological [7,8]. The underlying mechanism prompting actual and reported responses is not yet well-understood, but it may be that indoor spaces with plants are perceived as more attractive than those without [3].

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Researchers overall agree that more work is required (When do researchers ever say that they’ve done enough research? Sigh.) to understand factors including placement, distance, density, and comparative impacts of different kinds of plants. However, it has been suggested that viewing real plants may have a greater beneficial effect than viewing images of plants [8], that green, slightly scented, and that small plants elicit greater reported comfort and satisfaction than other types of plants [11]. It has also been suggested that “people's perceptions of the indoor environmental quality will be maximised by plants with lush, bright green leaves and high canopy density”, and that people prefer plants with rounded contours [1].

In addition to these “direct” impacts on wellbeing, researchers have also investigated whether indoor plants have “indirect” impacts through beneficial environmental changes. Systematic reviews suggest that indoor plants can reduce air pollutants such as CO2, NO2, PM10, PM2.5, and VOCs [7,10] (specifically formaldehyde, benzene, and toluene. Unfortunately, we have yet to discover interventions that deal with volatile, ornery colleagues.). They also increase humidity and reduce room temperature, all of which may have a positive impact on skin- or mucous membrane-related dryness/irritation. However, this potential varies by plant type, by indoor environmental conditions, and by pollutant [6].

Relying solely on thoughtfully-garnished indoor spaces is unlikely to answer any meaningful workplace wellbeing question. However, when considered in conjunction with the basics, such as appropriate salaries, health insurance, life-work balance, and safe environments, indoor plants can increase the likelihood of being happy and healthy.

References

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  • Moslehian, A. S., Roos, P. B., Gaekwad, J. S., & Galen, L. V. (2023). Potential Risks and Beneficial Impacts of Using Indoor Plants in the Biophilic Design of Healthcare Facilities: A Scoping Review. Building and Environment, 233. 110057. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2023.110057
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