Biophilia: The Secret to a Happier, More Productive Workplace

What is Biophilic Design?

If you have ever stepped outside and felt refreshed, rejuvenated, or even just slightly happy? If you spend time in nature and cannot wait to get back—you have experienced something called biophilia. Biophilia is the innate love of life, which can be found in plants, animals, or anything else that exists in nature.

Biophilic Design takes that love and connectedness to nature indoors and into an office environment by incorporating it in its interior design. Biophilic design has many benefits. Read on to find out how incorporating a little bit of the outside inside can impact and improve your staff’s well-being.

The Benefits of Biophilic Design

You may not have heard the term biophilic design before, but if you have worked in an office environment, you most likely have been impacted by the concept. The goal of biophilic design is to achieve the mental and physical peace one experiences when connecting with nature by bringing it into the office space. Gestures big and small can have a positive impact on your employees, customers, and visitors.

Increases Creativity and Productivity

Biophilic design in a workspace helps employees tap into and improve key cognitive functions. It also encourages creative and innovative thinking. Believe it or not, adding just a few plants to an office space has been proven to increase productivity by 15% and creativity by 6%! Get that green thumb going, plant a few plants, and bring them to work!

Decreases Stress Levels

A breeze blowing through the trees, the sound of ocean waves, and the sound of rain are not just settings on your sleep sound machine. They are also proven examples of nature acting as a stress reliever. Spending time outdoors is necessary for our mental wellbeing to reduce stress, therefore bringing the outdoor world inside can carry the same benefits. Having a green space, natural lighting, or a few plants in the office promotes a calm state of being and alleviates potential tension and feelings of stress.

Attracts Talent and Gives a Good First Impression

Do not underestimate the power of aesthetically pleasing office spaces. Did you know that 33% of potential employees take an office’s design into consideration when deciding whether to accept a position? It gives a good first impression to potential new talent that a company not only cares for their staff’s well-being, but also the environment. A drab dark office space is not the most inviting. Offering natural light and greenery will land you good talent and increase your retention rate.

How to Incorporate Biophilic Design into Your Office Space

Incorporating biophilic design does not have to be overwhelming. As previously mentioned, bringing just a few plants indoors can offer major benefits. Have any natural light in your office space you may not be utilizing? A simple rearrangement of your office furniture around any natural light is an easy way to connect with nature inside of your workplace. Creating an office from scratch? Let CMF help you design your eco-friendly space. Furniture with natural curves and made from natural materials is another way to incorporate biophilic design!