The Role of Plants in Supporting Employee Mental Health
A Natural Solution to a Growing Problem
Mental health is no longer a side note in workplace design. priority. Stress levels, anxiety, and burnout are all rising. Employers are under pressure to create environments that not only support productivity but also promote emotional wellbeing. Facilities Managers are increasingly part of that conversation. While they may not be therapists, they do shape the spaces people spend much of their working lives in.
One of the simplest, most evidence-backed ways to support employee mental health? Bring in plants.
They are a visible, natural intervention. Plants speaks to people on a sensory and emotional level, often more effectively than many wellbeing programmes.
What the Research Says: Greenery Changes How We Feel
Modern studies show what many of us feel instinctively: being around plants helps us feel better.
Natural environments reduce cortisol levels, lower heart rates, and improved mood. Even passive exposure, like viewing plants or landscapes, reduce stress and increase focus.
A 2023 review found that indoor plants can reduce stress, lift mood, and ease symptoms of depression and anxiety. Even short exposure (as little as 3 minutes looking at a plant on your desk) can lower your heart rate and help you feel calmer.
Dr. Roger Ulrich studied hospital patients and their recovery rates. They consistently recovered faster and required less pain medication when they had views of greenery. Studies in workplace settings have shown that plants reduce anxiety, improve sleep quality, and even increase job satisfaction.
In one such study, employees who added small desk plants reported lower anxiety and stress after just a few weeks. Pulse rates dropped, and people said they felt more relaxed. This wasn’t a lab, it was a typical office.
Another study in the Netherlands introduced plants to previously bare offices. Employees rated their workspaces as more attractive and comfortable. They reported fewer complaints about dry air, and even a drop in health-related complaints. No expensive redesign, just plants.
Bringing natural elements indoors is a practical and evidence-based way to help people’s cope, concentrate, and stay well
Why It Works: The Biophilia Effect
The science behind this is known as the biophilia hypothesis — the idea that humans have an innate connection to nature. When we’re exposed to natural elements like plants, our minds enter a more relaxed state. We feel safer. Our brains get a break.
Psychologists call this “soft fascination”. Nature gently holds our attention, allowing our mental batteries to recharge. Compared to screen-heavy, high-pressure office environments, plants offer an antidote. They bring stillness, texture, and life to otherwise static spaces.
That’s why so many people turned to their gardens or local green spaces during Covid lockdowns. We can replicate the same calming effect, in small but powerful ways, within the office.
Plants and Productivity: More Than Mood
It’s not just about how people feel, it’s also about how they work. Studies have found that adding plants to a bare office can increase productivity by 15%. Creativity, concentration, and memory all show measurable improvements when people work in greener environments.
One large study involving 10 Polish companies added over 1,000 plants across multiple offices. The results were clear: staff reported less stress, fewer physical complaints, and higher satisfaction with air quality. When the plants were removed, satisfaction dropped again.
Global research backs this up. The Human Spaces report surveyed 7,600 employees in 16 countries, finding that workers in offices with plants reported higher wellbeing and productivity scores.
The WELL Building Standard is increasingly adopted across commercial property. This standard includes planting and natural elements as part of its mental health and productivity criteria. WELL v2 recommends the use of biophilic elements to support stress reduction, mood enhancement, and cognitive function.
For facilities teams managing post-Covid workspaces, often with hybrid schedules and lower occupancy, creating a space people want to return to is key. Plants help shift the atmosphere from sterile to welcoming, supporting that “pull factor” back to the office. The message we get from Facilities Manager world over is clear. “We needed something that would make the office feel more like a place people chose to come to, not had to come to.” Plants helped tip that balance.
Real Offices, Real Results
Some companies have gone all in.
Amazon’s Seattle headquarters includes the “Spheres”; three giant glass domes filled with over 40,000 plants. It’s not just for show. Studies done in partnership with the University of Washington found that employees who spent time in the Spheres reported significantly lower stress and more positive emotions during the workday.
In the UK and Europe, many companies are using greenery to support their return-to-office strategies. Offices redesigned with ceiling-hung planters, green walls, and large potted trees are being used to help spaces feel more inviting. Employers report that these changes help staff feel more relaxed and more willing to come in.
At Planteria’s own UK HQ, the shift was immediate after installing planting schemes throughout the space. Staff describe it as calmer, warmer, and more enjoyable. Visitors consistently say, “It feels alive.”
What the Experts Say
Experts across psychology, design, and workplace wellbeing support this approach. Professor Alex Haslam (University of Queensland) puts it plainly: “Sometimes less is just less.” His study showed that adding greenery made workers not only happier, but also 15% more productive.
Dr Craig Knight, another leading researcher, adds that just seeing a plant from your desk improves creative thinking and memory. The change doesn’t need to be dramatic: just visible, well-placed greenery.
Biophilic design expert Oliver Heath points to aggregated data showing wellbeing increases of 13% and productivity boosts of 8% when we integrate nature into workspace design. “It’s not about aesthetics,” he says, “It’s about how we feel and function in the space.”
What This Means for Facilities Managers
For FMs, this isn’t just about green walls or high-concept design. It’s about making smart choices that visibly improve how people experience the workplace. And it doesn’t require major fit-outs or expensive overhauls.
For Facilities Managers, office planting offers a rare combination:
- it’s highly visible,
- positively received by staff,
- low risk,
- and relatively simple to implement.
It doesn’t require structural change, lengthy installations, or major sign-off. Yet the return, in atmosphere, perception, and wellbeing, can be immediate.
And this matters. Because Facilities Managers are increasingly evaluated not just on uptime and efficiency but on their contribution to workplace experience, retention, and wellbeing. Office planting becomes part of a broader toolkit, a tangible, evidence-based way to show care for the people who use the space.
It also supports broader corporate goals, from mental health and wellbeing to ESG commitments and staff retention. And when tied into standards like WELL or Fitwel, planting becomes a formal part of creating healthier, more effective buildings.
Facilities Managers are being asked to deliver more than function. Expected to help create spaces people want to be in. Planting is a proven way to support that shift.
Final Thought: Nature Still Works
Plants alone won’t solve mental health challenges. But they are part of the solution. They signal care, soften hard surfaces, and bring life into static spaces. Most importantly, they help people feel better at a time when that has never mattered more.
For Facilities Managers looking to make a difference in their workspace, planting is one of the simplest, smartest steps to take.
If you’d like help designing a greener, healthier office, Planteria’s team is here to support you, from concept to ongoing care.
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