Putting plants into office environments is one of the best ways of increasing productivity and staff morale. According to Dr. Ronald Wood from Sydney’s University of Technology, increasing productivity by just 1% saves the equivalent of four times the average cost of heating or air-conditioning the whole building!

• Washington State University’s (US) Professor Virginia Lohr found that putting plants onto desks in windowless offices increased reaction times by 12% whilst reducing stress levels

• Surrey University’s Helen Russell found that plants reduced stress instantly and, over time, absentee levels by 60%

• Professor Tove Fjeld from Oslo’s University of Agriculture (Norway) found that plants increased office workers’ concentration levels by 33%, reduced headaches by 45%, dry throats and coughs by 33%, and colds and runny noses by 11%

• Ronald Wood recognises that the average office exposes workers to a cocktail of disease-causing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the air. Tove explained that soil and plants’ leaves both absorb chemicals in the air. These are broken down by the roots into food for the plants. A similar process allows plants to control humidity, resulting in less colds and sore throats

The best plants to install are those which require a lot of watering and have large leaf areas. These are particularly active and both help humidity levels and absorb the most chemicals, e.g. peace lily, kentia palm, fine-leafed fig, ‘Janet Craig’ and devil’s ivy.

See also Pot plants hoover up domestic pollution in the Chemical Pollution section.