November 21st, 2017
Putting some plants in your office is a simple and effective way of brightening up your workspace and making your employees happier and more efficient.
Studies suggest that greener offices with plenty of plants can boost people’s productivity by as much as 15% and make them feel happier and healthier.
Basepoint has more than 30 business centres in locations including Broxbourne, Camberley and Waterlooville. We provide fully serviced office space and breakout areas, complete with plants, where you can relax. Here is our guide to six top plants which are well suited to office space.
Spider Plants
These are ideally suited to offices, as they can store plenty of water in their roots. This means they are happy survive for a weekend or longer without additional moisture. They should, however, be kept away from direct sunlight. Recognisable for their long, grass-like leaves with white stripes, the spider plant produces small white flowers every spring. They can be grown in a hanging basket which, if you can fit one, should make your office look distinctive.
Peace Lilies
These beautiful plants have white flowers and broad green leaves which will brighten up the look of your workspace. They have the additional benefit of cutting the amount of toxins in the air. Peace lilies do not require much maintenance, apart from being kept reasonably well watered; and they are best kept in cooler temperatures.
Weeping Figs
The weeping fig can filter out unwanted pollutants from the atmosphere from carpets and furniture. They might require a bit more maintenance than your average office plant: they prefer bright spots but with some shade; the leaves will probably need during summer; and you should take care to avoid over- and under-watering, so try to keep its soil moist most of the time. However the end result is a distinctive plant with some glossy green leaves, which can be grown as either a short pot plant or a small ornamental tree.
Philodendrons
Philodendrons were discovered in South America in the 19th Century and are big enough to be used as a centrepiece in the office and not just on a desk; they are comparatively large climbers. They thrive in temperatures of around 18-20C and thrive in low humidity. Philodendrons can give the office a tropical look, particularly if you have the Imperial Green hybrid. They do not need a great deal of maintenance.
English Ivy
This is easy to maintain and can be trained to grow in a variety of shapes, such as up a pole or in a hanging basket. All you need do is make sure it is watered reasonably frequently and that your office is a reasonably cool environment. Tests have shown that it is particularly effective in absorbing office-based pollutants which can be irritating to humans.
Cactus
This is the hardiest of plants, which will be happy to thrive even during long absences, for example while staff are away on holiday, so you don’t need to worry about any watering. It does prefer light, so is best suited to a place near a window. The only disadvantage is you have to remember that your or your colleagues must not put your hand too close to it, unless you want a prickly reminder that it is still alive.
Basepoint offers a wide range of fully serviced office space in our business centres in 32 locations. Another option is to choose one of our virtual office packages. Follow the link to request a quick quote.
