Boost Your Productivity by Putting a Plant on Your Desk

August 01, 2019

Hello, My Friend Is ...

The internet is full of cute animal pictures and stories, but chances are good that Mike Robinson's story is the first cute plant story you've come across. Mike was the engineer and owner of WeatherSolve Structures, a small Canadian firm that made windbreaks, canopies, and the like. His wife Suzanne, however, was the owner of a simple, clever idea: give every employee at the firm a plant to keep on their desk.

Initially, Mike was skeptical, he said in a TEDx talk on the subject. Wouldn't employees just waste time watering and gazing at the thing? But happy wife, happy life, so Mike decided to give it a go. But rather than just hand out plants, he and his wife did something way cuter.

The couple set up a human-plant "speed dating" scenario, where each employee was asked to approach a table full of plants and choose the one they thought would love being their desk companion the most.

"So you have to put yourself in the spot of the plant, as it were, and say, 'Which person do I want to be my new friend?'" Robinson explained. Once each employee had chosen a new green buddy, they received the plant along with a small sign saying "My friend is ..." with their name.

That's cute, but this isn't just a story about one entrepreneur getting a little wacky with his efforts at employee appreciation. The real kicker came later when Robinson noticed the effects of turning his whole team into plant parents. First, they were shockingly good at it. You'd expect a few black thumbs in every group, but according to Robinson, five years on, all the plants are still going strong.

The most impressive result, however, isn't his employees' horticultural acumen. Instead, it's the plants' effect on productivity. "I did my own mathematics, and I reckoned that we might be doing about 30 percent more business per staff [member]," Robinson reports.

Science Says This Makes Sense

One company's cute plant story is not the same as a carefully controlled study, but there are solid scientific reasons to think Robinson's experience isn't just some adorable fluke. Other companies are having the same idea, including Amazon, a company known for its data and results-driven business decisions. Amazon recently invested in an addition to their Seattle headquarters dubbed "The Spheres": three domes filled with 40,000 plants.

They weren't just gunning for design awards. Instead, the company is familiar with the mountain of research showing that exposure to nature, even just in the form of a potted plant, can reduce stress, double your attention span, increase happiness, and boost productivity and creativity. Even just looking at a green roof for all of 40 seconds has been shown to cause a measurable uptick in productivity among office dwellers.

If just glancing at something green can do that, imagine what adding a few plants to your space could do.

This article first appeared on Curiosity.com.

Next Up

Here's How Little Exercise It Takes to Boost Your Mental Health

Exercise benefits more than just your physique.

World's First Malaria Vaccine Offers Hope to Millions

Tens of thousands of lives could be saved each year from sickness and death caused by malaria following the World Health Organization (WHO) approval of a first-ever vaccine. Scientists have recommended the RTS,S vaccine for children in sub-Saharan Africa and other high-risk areas to prevent one of the world’s oldest and deadliest infectious diseases.

Scientists Have Discovered Enormous Balloon-Like Structures in the Center of Our Galaxy

There's something really, really big in the middle of our Milky Way galaxy — one of the largest structures ever observed in the region, in fact.

The Perseid Meteor Shower Reaches its Peak

Stargazers rejoice! The annual Perseid meteor shower is upon us. Here's what you need to know...(updated August 11, 2022)

Neuroprosthetic Sensory Devices are Reconnecting People to the World

Sensory loss has a profound effect on millions of people’s everyday lives. Sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste can all be affected, diminishing their experience of the world. But now, thanks to neuroprosthetic technology we can tap into nerve and brain function, and rewire these lost connections.

Astronomers May Have Found a Rare “Free-Floating” Black Hole

How do you see a perfectly black object in the middle of a pitch-dark night? It sounds like the start of an annoying riddle, but it’s really the question faced by astronomers when they want to search for black holes.

How to Watch the Orionids Meteor Shower in 2021

If you've seen a shooting star on a recent stargazing jaunt, you've spotted the very beginning of the Orionids meteor shower. It happens every fall in October or early November, and peak viewing hours are coming soon to skies near you.

How Do They Make Meat-Like Burgers From Plants?

These new plant-based burgers that are scientifically designed to taste better.

This Is the Best Sleeping Position, According to Science

A good night's rest may all be down to the way you sleep.

The Densities Of The Planets

A planet's density tells us more information than its size.