As wonderful as live plants are, they’re not always suitable for every environment. For example, office plants in large buildings without enough natural light may not always look their best, and having fresh flowers delivered each week may not be the most appropriate or cost effective option for some businesses.
Yet the benefits that plants can have on the office environment shouldn’t be ignored, especially when you consider the potential impact on your business’ bottom line. 90% of a building’s running costs relate to the people inside it, so if you’re investing in your employee’s environment, you’re likely to be saving money that could otherwise be lost through a lack of productivity or days missed.
At Ambius, we are big believers in the theory of ‘Biophilia’ – humanity’s innate need to connect with nature and the natural environment. This goes beyond just having an indoor plant on your desk to make it feel more homely, it’s about stimulating employee’s senses in order to create an environment that feels natural and open – that gives us something to look at beyond the computer screen six inches in front of our nose.
Recent research from the University of Exeter Medical School has found that spending two hours in nature can significantly boost health. While other scientific evidence of biophilia shows that bringing plants into an office environment improves productivity, wellness and reduces sick days. If the nature of your business means that maintaining living plants is simply not feasible, then artificial plants or silk flowers could be the answer.
Replica plants
There are a huge range of artificial plants that look just like the real thing, especially maples, palms, bays and bamboo, all of which can add beauty to a space without the need for soil or watering.
Replica plants are a great solution if a space lacks natural light, as they can go into any light situation and do not require much maintenance to remain looking their best. Available in a range of sizes to suit all spaces, artificial plants also work particularly well in building entrances, as they can withstand adverse weather conditions and don’t require water.
Silk flowers
With the summer weather currently being slightly less kind to us than last year, an injection of colourful blooms all year round could be the perfect solution to brightening up your workplace. Silk flowers are a fantastic, authentic-looking option, with floral designs often made to order, so they look bespoke, clean and fresh. These designs can even include colour combinations that match your business’ corporate colours.
Similar to artificial plants, these arrangements don’t require the constant maintenance and replacement that real flowers do – just a spot of regular cleaning to ensure they stand the test of time.
Final thoughts
With plants bringing so many visual and employee benefits to an indoor space, it would be a shame to sacrifice this due to light levels, maintenance issues or cost. One way to avoid this is the use of artificial plants, which can be individually designed and installed to suit your business needs.
To find out just how real our artificial plants and flowers can get, contact us or phone 0808 159 4227
