Contact with nature is a basic, almost biological need. Our bodies, which function in the realities of civilization, continue to demand satisfying it. But how to meet this need at work? Find out what solutions the employer can use to provide the team with such an opportunity.
The nature of wellbeing
Contact with nature is one of the six areas of wellbeing highlighted in a survey conducted by Benefit Systems in cooperation with Natalia Hatalska’s infuture.institute. Based on this, five profiles were defined, depending on the approach to taking care of wellbeing. One of them is the Naturenthusiasts. According to the “The Wellbeing of Poles” report, the level of wellbeing in this group is 6.4, which is higher than the national average (4.9 on a 10-point scale).
Close and regular contact with nature translates into, among others [1]:
better physical and mental health,
a sense of inner peace,
lower levels of anxiety,
increased creativity,
activation of interpersonal relations,
greater satisfaction with life.
Company in touch with nature
We spend nearly a third of our adult lives at work. Does this mean that contact with nature must be limited to afternoon or evening walks and weekends? Absolutely not, as the employer has a wide range of options in this regard. To start, they can use the Wellbeing Score tool to determine how urgent employees’ needs are in the area of contact with nature, and then move on to practical measures.
Here are solutions that the employer can implement to ensure that the team is in touch with nature:
1. Appropriate interior design
Interior design is increasingly using the term biophilic design. It denotes a way of designing spaces that aims to maximise human contact with nature (a large number of plants, larger windows providing exposure to greenery, green roofs, green-coloured walls, wooden furniture, design that refers to nature) [2].
Of course, it is not always possible to design an office and the space around it from scratch, but it is worth applying at least some of the solutions mentioned. First of all, it is worth ensuring as many plants as possible in the workplace. They will improve employees’ wellbeing as well as their health – plants purify the air, increase its humidity, and help relax and concentrate [3].
It is also worthwhile to provide as many natural light sources as possible (preferably if the windows provide a view of nature), and where greater exposure to daylight is not possible, it is a good idea to use adequate artificial lighting. Another popular solution is to use greenin interior design, as it has a beneficial effect on the eyes and supports stress reduction [4].
2. Promoting eco-transportation
It is worth taking care of employees who want to maintain contact with greenery, even urban greenery, already on their way to work. Support for them can be provided by, for example, bicycle racks in front of the office, lockers where you can leave your backpack and helmet, and showers (useful not only for cyclists or runners, but for anyone who chooses the morning walk to the office on hot days). These solutions will enable employees to maintain contact with nature, as well as take care of their physical fitness and mental health.
3. Meetings in the open air
Some of the team meetings can be held, for example, in a park within walking distance of the company’s premises. An increasing number of modern office buildings provide this type of space in the form of a patio or terrace with greenery. The criterion of contact with nature is also worth taking into account when organising corporate events and team-building meetings, especially since many conference centres are located on the outskirts of cities or in the immediate vicinity of parks or bodies of water.
4. Active breaks from work
We are living in the era of work-life integration, in which the boundaries between work and personal life are increasingly blurred. This is particularly evident in the remote or hybrid work model. In such a situation, the employer may, if possible, include in the schedule an extended break for the employee, for instance, for a relaxing walk. The beneficial effect of such activity is not limited to contact with nature – it is also healthy rest for the spine and a warm-up for the muscles. As a result, the employee will return to performing their duties with a “charged battery”.
On the other hand, for on-site work, the employer can organise a so-called active break in the office with a personal trainer, during which employees can do stretching exercises, for example.
5. Sports activities outside the office
The employer can also encourage employees to get in touch with nature by promoting outdoor activities. A helpful solution is the MultiSport card, which provides access not only to sports facilities, but also to outdoor activities. An additional option is the Letnia Gra MultiSport, which supports increasing physical activity during the summer holiday season. The employer can also organise events that promote contact with nature, such as yoga sessions with a trainer conducted in a nearby park.
6. Employee volunteering
This is another solution that combines the idea of integration, physical activity and contact with nature. The employer will have little trouble finding a foundation or association to help organise, for example, a tree-planting campaign. Of course, this requires proper logistics, comparable to preparing a team-building event. Such initiatives can also be organised on the company’s premises to create, for example, a flower meadow near the company’s headquarters, which employees will take care of as part of mini-volunteering. In this way, the employer can also increase the team’s sense of empowerment.
An inspiring investment in wellbeing
The solutions presented above can be viewed as inspiration and creatively transformed to fit the company’s capabilities. Such efforts should be inspired by leaders who have knowledge of their team’s needs and the organisation’s financial resources. As a result, they will be able to offer appropriate solutions with a feasible scope. Enabling employees to get in touch with nature brings many benefits to the company, so – if its budget situation allows – it is worth making an investment in this area, especially since it is an investment in the wellbeing of the team.
References:
[1] https://psychologiawpraktyce.pl/artykul/lacznosc-z-natura-a-funkcjonowanie-psychiczne-czlowieka
[2] https://integrishealth.org/resources/on-your-health/2024/january/biophilic-design
[3] https://www.medonet.pl/zdrowie-i-wellbeing-pracownikow,zalety-roslin-w-biurze--jaki-maja-wplyw-na-pracownika-,artykul,29014258.html#zalety-roslin-w-biurze-dbanie-o-wellbeing-pracownika
[4] https://www.crazynauka.pl/zielen-odstresowuje-nawet-ta-wirtualna/
