Do you feel that your employees are often tired or sick? Or are you feeling yourself not so active in the office lately? If so, it may be advisable to give your office a thorough examination.
In fact, many offices fall short in certain areas related to a healthy living environment. In this article you will find more information about steps you can take, to make your office a pleasant living environment and why this has positive effects on health.
Tip 1: Start adding plants
Actually, the first tip we always give is: place plants! Plants do so much for your health. Everyone knows that plants convert CO2 into oxygen so that we humans can breathe.
But plants also have a proven calming and relaxing effect, filter many toxins from the air and instantly brighten up a room. You don’t have to do anything else, just place the plant and experience the positive effects immediately.
Tip 2: Take a closer look at your lighting.
In addition to adding plants, it is advisable to take a look at office lighting. Dark spaces quickly make you feel gloomy and can have a negative effect on the health of your employees.
Too bright light, in turn, can lead to headaches and sleep problems, as it reduces melatonin production. One option for office spaces is so-called biodynamic lighting. This lighting adapts to the human biorhythm and changes with it throughout the day. Nice detail: your plants will also thank you for this.
Tip 3: Prefer to use lots of natural materials
The materials in a room also have a big impact on the living environment. A lot of gray furniture and a lot of plastic and metal can quickly make a room look drab. In addition, plastic in particular will also give off toxic dusts, especially when there is a hot device on it such as a fax machine or printer. You are better off with materials such as wood, linoleum or bamboo. This will also improve the look of your office in an instant.
Tip 4: Work on office acoustics as well.
Something that can also be very annoying is an office where you can hear everything that others are doing. Especially if you want to be concentrated on something. If it is not possible to improve the entire acoustics, for example if your office has large open spaces, you can at least start by setting up one or two small quiet rooms.
You can also go for carpet instead of a smooth floor. Moreover, this is also where plants come in again, as plants always significantly improve acoustics. A special addition such as a green wall can totally help with this.
Get your employees to relax and move more
As a final tip: sitting still for long periods of time is obviously not good for people either. Therefore, encourage your employees to get up from time to time and move around for a few minutes. If you have an outdoor area this is ideal, because fresh air works wonders.
You might also consider sprucing up the outdoor space and turning it into a nice rest garden.
Curious about ideas for incorporating the above tips into your office space? Then give Any Green a call, we would love to think with you.
