Office wellness is all the rage right now, from gym memberships to healthy breakfasts and weekly yoga sessions, our client’s benefit packages are increasingly including wellness initiatives and the office environment is something our candidates are asking us about more and more.

Those that have recognised this and are taking steps to improve the wellness of their employees are reaping the rewards, Johnson and Johnson reported that every $1 spent on employee wellness yielded $2.71 and a number of candidates we spoke to reported that they felt more valued by employers that made an effort with the office environment, and therefore motivated to work harder. From speaking to our candidates further it became obvious that it’s not all about expensive sleep pods or restructuring the office to improve the feng shui, small additions, such as an increased amount of healthy and well-designed office plants, can make an enormous difference.

Elizabeth Marsh, founder of Elizabeth Marsh Floral Design agrees, stating how it’s the little details that have the greatest impact on how we feel, arguing the soothing impact of flowers and plants contributes to our ability to keep performing, whether we are a stressed office worker, hotel housekeeper or jet-lagged hotel guest.

So, we’re convinced – well-planned plants make for a better office environment and happier employees. But, to stop our office resembling an over-stuffed greenhouse, we need advice on how to choose them and where to put them. Here Elizabeth shares her top tips of flower arranging for the office:

Considered the space you’re working with.

Planting choices should be suitable and tailored to the office environment. It is always preferable to have a simple flourishing plant than an amazing dead one.

So, manage expectations - if your office is in a dark basement with minimal lighting, most plants won’t be able to survive, and you’ll be severely limited to what plants you can have.

But don’t let that put you off! There are plants that will last a good while before they start to look sad and are therefore economically viable. It is also possible to get hydroponic lighting installed which helps any plant to survive. The cost of these lights can be offset by the price you’d be paying to replace plants if you didn’t have them.

Even simple planting displays can be creative and with a little bit of inspiration, can create a magical space.

Don’t over water More plants are killed by over watering than under watering - if in doubt, leave it out! Most plants benefit from being sprayed as it’s hard to kill them this way. The extra humidity in the atmosphere is great for people too!

Think about the pot When choosing a plant, the choice of pot is equally as important. A simple plant can look stunning if the pot ties in with the interior design of the space.

Do you research Plants hanging from the ceiling in macramé baskets are from the ’70s and should probably stay there! In the 21st century, displays should be creative, such as a cascade of plants around a pillar in an open plan office, or a curtain of plants to screen off a space.