FT: Office gardens can raise morale

Office design news from Morgan Lovell

Published on 06-08-2007

Integrating green spaces into office design can improve staff morale, it has been suggested.

Indoor gardens can improve the atmosphere of the workplace and act as a motivating factor for employees, a new report in the Financial Times has indicated.

The report cites the headquarters of US biotechnology firm Genzyme as an example of the way in which combining green spaces with traditional office design can be a useful strategy.

Gardens are featured in the atrium, roof and majority of the building's floors.

Senior corporate communications director Bo Piela told the news provider: "It creates a sense of freedom."

"After a day in meeting rooms, talking with colleagues in a space surrounded by trees feels more relaxed," he added.

In a survey conducted of staff in 2005, 88 per cent reportedly stated that the integration of the gardens improved their sense of wellbeing.

Meanwhile, a recent poll from Durable UK suggested that the arrangement of workstations in an office can affect employee health, reported Online Recruitment magazine.