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If you’re an HR professional or manager, you may have tried various strategies to boost employee happiness—like staff discounts or fun events—only to see satisfaction scores remain unchanged. But have you considered what kind of employee experience you’re actually offering? What defines employee experience, and how can you improve it? Read on to find out!

Remember, Ambius is ready to provide your office with plants that enhance employee experience, productivity, and well-being.

Defining Employee Experience

Author and speaker Jacob Morgan explains on the Society for Human Resource Management website that employee experience consists of three elements:

  • Culture
  • Technology
  • Physical workspace

Culture is abstract and includes workplace atmosphere and organizational structure. Technology covers tools like software and mobile devices. The physical workspace is the most tangible, including things like wall art or a gym.

indoor plants

Employee Experience vs. Engagement

Morgan points out that employee engagement is not the same as employee experience. While many companies have tried to increase engagement, it often doesn’t improve. He argues, “… instead of trying to force people to fit outdated ways of working, organizations need to adapt their workplace practices to their people.” The real question is: how do we do this?

Plants and Employee Experience: The Role of Biophilia

Part of the answer lies in interior planting. Plants offer key benefits in the workspace and have the potential to improve the overall employee experience through the principle of biophilia. Biophilia is the idea that humans have an innate desire to connect with nature. Natural elements like plants, scents, and art can improve people’s health and boost productivity. Your organization has the opportunity to enrich employee experience by incorporating these features.

The Impact of Interior Plants on Employees

Interior plants can play an important role in enhancing employee experience, leading to happier employees who get more done. Studies show that people working in offices with plants take fewer sick days and have higher productivity. Plants also reduce levels of carbon dioxide and dust in the air and can lower background noise.

Here are some specific facts about how plants positively impact employees:

  • People working indoors complete tasks 12% faster when they have plants in their line of sight compared to those without plants in the room, with improved concentration.
    (Source: Washington State University)

  • Adding plants to the workplace reduced health complaints such as coughing and fatigue among hospital and office staff.
    (Source: Fjeld T., Effect of Indoor Plants on Health and Discomfort Among Workers and Schoolchildren, HortTechnology)

  • Visual exposure to plants led to lower blood pressure and reduced stress levels.
    (Source: University of Vermont)

With all this knowledge, it’s clear that interior plants are a powerful way to support mental and physical well-being and foster a positive work experience.