The Global Human Spaces Report is a good read about how biophilic design in the workplace has a strong, measurable impact on employee outcomes such as well-being, productivity, and creativity. For those engaged in the pursuit of high quality, human centric design this report adds depth to the Biophilic Design conversation.
Some highlights:
Those who work in environments with natural elements, such as greenery and sunlight, report a 15% higher level of well-being than those who work in environments devoid of nature.
Those who work in environments with natural elements, such as greenery and sunlight, report a 6% higher level of productivity than those who do not have the same connection to nature within their workspace.
Those who work in environments with natural elements, such as greenery and sunlight, report a 15% higher level of creativity than those with no connection to natural elements in the workplace.
Across the world, a third of all respondents report that the design of an office would affect their decision to work for that organization, presenting biophilic design as an important consideration for those companies that want to attract and recruit the best employees.
Given its positive impact, surprisingly large numbers of employees reported having little or no contact with nature in their workplace – 47% report having no natural light in their workplace and 58% report having no natural greenery (live plants).
Overall, the existing literature in the field of biophilia and biophilic design suggests that nature contact has a restorative effect on people, helping them deal with day-to-day stress and work to maintain their work performance.
Providing people with symbolic connections to nature appears to produce almost as great an impact on employee outcomes as the real thing.
The research shows that when people enter a workplace that incorporates nature, they are more likely to feel happy and motivated for the day ahead.
Considering the benefits achieved by bringing natural elements indoors, employers wanting to create better work environments and strengthen relationships between colleagues have an opportunity here to increase employee outcomes.
The agenda for biophilic design in the workplace is developing quickly in the field and a number of leading organizations are now providing employees with contact with nature.