Following a study linking consistently noisy work environments with stress and the risk of serious heart problems, Ambius, the world’s largest workplace enrichment and interior landscaping company is urging employers to go green in a bid to promote staff well-being and combat noise-related stress in the workplace.
The study suggested that those who work in noisy environments tend to weigh and smoke more and that this is creating an important occupational health issue. However, interior planting can reduce noise and enhance well-being in a number of ways as well as contributing to a healthy indoor environment.
Kenneth Freeman, International Technical Director for Ambius said “Whether it’s in a factory or in an open plan office, noisy environments can be extremely stressful, largely to due to the inability to escape from or control the noise. It’s understandable that it can have an adverse effect on employees’ health. It also tends to be those at the bottom rung of the ladder that are most affected and can be the root of high staff turnover issues and lack of employee engagement which in turn, impacts business productivity.
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“Interior landscaping plays a vital role in providing a pleasant and tranquil environment to work in, and has more than an aesthetic value. Plants have good acoustic properties and are often used to screen noise from motorways and railway tracks and can be just as effective indoors.
“Boosting well-being in the work place should be a serious consideration for all employers as they look to get the most from their work force in this current economic climate. Plant displays multi-task – they remove carbon dioxide and volatile organic compounds, define space, improve ambience and reduce noise simultaneously. They can also be more cost-effective than engineered solutions,” concludes Kenneth Freeman.
