Humans now spend the majority of our time indoors and, for many adults, that includes being in an office for eight hours on any given day.
That means that our office environment has a huge bearing on how we feel. And for employers, adding plants into the mix of your office decor is a great way to refresh your space and uplift employees. Plants are living beings and we have a natural affinity towards them called biophilia which can help us feel energized at work. But dying plants can tell clients, guests, interviewees and staff that you don’t care about your work environment and don’t pay close attention to details.
Whether you’re in charge of a small office or large corporate HQ, here’s how to approach office plant maintenance so you can reap the benefits of plants month after month.
Office Plant Care: DIY vs using a professional plant service
Office managers tasked with figuring out plant care may wonder if paying for a service is necessary, or if you can incorporate plant care into employee tasks. After all, it would save money, and it’s just watering a couple times a week, right?
Not if you want thriving office plants, which require not just watering, but also pruning, pest control, plant rotations, fertilizer, repotting, plant replacement and more. In truth, DIY-ing plant care costs companies. It costs them productive time employees could be using on their core tasks, fees for replacement plants when something dies over vacation, opportunity and productivity as it doesn’t create the best office environment.
Using a professional service means your plants get the highest standard of care and your office should always be a welcoming and uplifting space. A good plant care service will regularly visit your office and improve employee happiness and your business’s presentation. Look for a track record of strong corporate work and a team that includes horticultural specialists to find the right people to care for your space.
Good maintenance starts with good plants – and good design
Maintenance and upkeep starts with good plants and good interior plant design.
Good plants don’t necessarily come straight from the garden center. If your office has been struggling to maintain plant health, you may have started off with plants that weren’t in great shape – unfortunately even “new” plants can arrive to you needing TLC, and in improper pots or soil.
High-quality suppliers and proper nursery care starts plants off right. Working with horticultural professionals who have commercial capacity and relationships for growing and supplying healthy plants means maintenance is easier and your risk of plants dying is lower.
Good plant design is also important. Firstly, because it ensures that plants are in the right locations to thrive: the variety that will love being in your sunny reception area may wither in an internal meeting room.
And also because it ensures that your investment in plants is designed for long-term benefits. Plants can enhance the function of your space, for example creating natural dividers between desks or absorbing sound in lobbies. The resources you put into maintaining plants placed at random around an office will never give you the return that the resources put into maintaining good plant design do.
Interested in learning more about interior plant design? Read our Guide to Interior Plantscaping.
How Plantscaping & Blooms can empower your workplace with our corporate plant services
Plantscaping & Blooms has been helping businesses create the extraordinary since 1979, and we can help your company improve its plant design in multiple ways.
Experts in biophilic design
We are experts not just in plants but in biophilic design: we understand the transformation plants can lend to your workspace for aesthetic and function. We have dramatically improved the feel of corporate and commercial spaces from multi-story office buildings to SMBs, hospitals to hotels. We are industry leaders who have the knowledge, creativity and pragmatism to design for any space.
Custom proposals for every client
Our process centers around our clients: we get to know your goals, business and budget before making any recommendations. We forge successful long-term relationships because we pay attention, and tailor each project so it gives your business the results you desire. We’re active problem-solvers and can find the solution to anything when it comes to plant design.
Capacity for any project
We have the capacity to nail even the largest corporate lease but approach every project with a personal touch. Clients aren’t an account number to us, they’re partners, neighbors and friends, and we’re invested in their success. Whether finding a creative solution to low light in a small office or figuring out irrigation for a showstopping living wall, we are up for the task.
Expert maintenance
We have a standard bi-weekly plant maintenance plan, where we come into your business and care for your plants and installations. Our team is highly trained and our plant care specialists are a knowledgeable and dedicated group who put our clients’ success first. We can also arrange alternate schedules depending on your needs and the needs of your plants.
We can improve your existing plant setup
If you have plants already, but aren’t feeling inspired, Plantscaping & Blooms can help. We can take over existing plants that need help and recommend changes to make the most of what you have with thoughtful additions rather than jumping to a complete overhaul
That’s because of our bespoke process for every client, where we take the time to look at your existing plants, space and setup before we make our recommendations to you.
If you are a business in the Cleveland area looking for expert plant maintenance, a refresh of your office space, or a complete re-envisioning of the possibilities of your office, reach out today. We can’t wait to make the extraordinary happen for you.