We spend so much time at work. In the winter, it can sometimes mean leaving work after the sun has set. Many of us don’t always have a lot of time to spend outside during the week. However, being in nature is important for our well-being. Plus, a new study finds that exposure to nature at work is beneficial for us and our performance. Today, we dig into the reasons why having nature around you at work can be a great thing!
How does being around nature help?
There’s long been a hypothesis that we, as humans, have an innate need to be around nature. And research continues to prove this hypothesis to be true. Studies have found that time in nature is important for our mood and our physical well-being. Yet, modern society often takes us away from nature – with work being a major barrier to nature in our lives. However, leaders need to pay attention because exposure to nature can help employees at work too – and not just from a well-being perspective.
We’ve talked about Self-Determination Theory before. Basically, all employees need autonomy, competence, and relatedness at work. There’s a number of ways these needs can be met but recent work shows that exposure to nature can help! When employees are exposed to nature, they are more likely to feel like their needs are met. And, when employees’ needs are met, they are more likely to be rated as higher performers and are also more likely to go above and beyond at work.
Ultimately, this new research is telling us that providing some access to nature at work can help you (and your employees) feel better at work and perform better. Win-win for everyone involved!
What does ‘exposure to nature’ look like at work?
So, now that we know the key findings, we want to define what we mean when we say ‘exposure to nature’. Good news! If you are thinking about how to incorporate nature into your work day, the definition is fairly broad. It can include anything from taking a break outside to keeping plants on your desk to art on the office walls featuring nature. Exposure to nature includes all direct contact with any element of the nature (plants, animals, etc.) or any artificial representation of it (art, nature sounds, etc.).
Basically, if you want to incorporate nature into your day or if you are looking to add nature to your team’s day-to-day, consider multiple ways to do it. Can you take breaks outside or ensure others have the time to do so? If you are in an office, can you provide plants and add art featuring nature? As a leader, can you send plants to your remote employees as holiday gifts or fun surprises? You don’t have to do anything huge or expensive! Simple ways to bring nature to work can have big impacts for your team’s wellness and performance.
