The science behind flowers in the workplace is rather interesting. Numerous studies have shown that simply by including plants and flowers in the office, people feel less anxious and report feeling less angry or frustrated.

Some believe this is because flowers remind us of nature - and the space beyond the office walls. By looking at lovely floral arrangements, people can mentally take a quick journey outside and ‘reset’ for additional tasks. 

Others believe it is the intricate patterns of flowers that people find calming. 

Much like grown-up coloring books or doodling on a page corner reduces stress, so can gazing at the spiral-like patterns of a rose or the delicate circular repetition of hydrangea blossoms. These effects are often considered “meditative” benefits of flowers in the workplace, but they’re not the only ways a few carefully selected blooms can enhance an office space. 

Several experts on productivity and workplace performance have observed that office settings with flowers and plants generally report employees who are absent less, more satisfied with their work, and even in some cases - more creative. 

One theory as to why is the concept of color and how people react to different shades of the rainbow. 

For example, yellow is typically regarded as cheerful, while blue is generally thought to be more soothing. 

Rather than make more permanent design decisions like colored furniture or painted walls, offices can experiment with color by adding a few floral arrangements throughout the office that all share a similar hue. They need not even be the same flower or even the same depth of color to achieve the desired effect. 

An elegant arrangement of medium green roses in a lobby or reception area could be echoed by smaller groupings of light green hydrangeas on desks or conference tables throughout the office. 

Flowers can also be a source of inspiration for employees, letting them choose the month's color or allowing each employee to have a floral arrangement or plant on their desk spaces. 

This small symbol of personal expression can mean a lot to an individual employee - and having a shared activity, even if it’s office decor, can help promote teamwork and mutual understanding across the workforce.

Of course, the benefits of flowers in the workplace are not limited to employees alone. 

Businesses can get creative with how they visually communicate with visiting clients - bringing in bright red roses that match a potential client’s logo or showcasing white blossoms to signal a new business relationship. In either case, featuring flowers in the office shows people they’re worth an investment in something beautiful - which in turn makes people happy to be in that location. 

Likewise, flowers can set people at ease in what would otherwise be stressful situations. The calming effect of flowers at an accounting office may be quite welcome during tax season. Soft colors and casual arrangements can be reassuring in doctors’ or therapists’ waiting rooms. 

A stately arrangement in a classic color can convey confidence in a legal office. 

A multicolored bouquet might send a cheerful welcome in the setting of a bed-and-breakfast, hotel, or restaurant.  

One of the most commonly overlooked places for floral arrangements that are still technically “in the office” is real estate open houses. Flowers reinforce the idea that space is loved and cared about - which then helps would-be home buyers think about themselves caring for that space. 

The power of blossoms to connect to people on multiple levels is almost limitless… and is often a much more worthwhile investment than remodeling the office for the same reasons.