Summertime lends itself to warm, sunny weather that makes it difficult to miss out on while spending the majority of your days inside a building, most likely staring at a computer screen. More and more employers are creating outdoor spaces for their employees to move their work outside. Research shows that there are plenty of benefits to working outside, giving employers more reason to encourage their employees to get some fresh air during work!
Benefits of Working Outside
Physical Wellbeing
There are plenty of science-backed physical health benefits to taking your work outside. Healthier employees means fewer sick days and better work performance.
Outdoor air is cleaner and up to 10 times less toxic than indoor air. Airborne plant chemicals increase levels of white blood cells, giving your immune system a boost. Natural light and fresh air boosts your energy levels, improves sleep and gives you a burst of Vitamin D, which is essential for a well-functioning body. Getting outside also gets you moving and out of your office chair, while encouraging physical activity.
Creativity
Getting out of your mundane office space for even a few minutes can help boost creativity. Spending time in nature is shown to have a positive effect on higher level cognitive tasks, like creative problem solving. Encourage your employees to take their lunch break outside or engage in an outdoor brainstorming session to get the creative juices flowing before getting back to work.
Focus
Higher energy levels translate to better focus and concentration and reduced mental fatigue, improving productivity. Studies also show that being outside in nature improves memory, augmenting employees’ ability to retain and recall important information. Offering an outdoor space for your employees gives them a place to reconnect with nature and rejuvenate before an important meeting or finishing a big task.
Mental Health
Working outside offers employees a number of mental health benefits. Spending time outside is one of the fastest ways to improve your mood and happiness. It’s been shown to reduce stress and anxiety and lower blood pressure and heart rate. Studies also show exposure to nature can improve feelings of trust, community and goodwill, improving teamwork and collaboration with coworkers.
