WELL-Inspired Workplaces: Bringing Nature Back Indoors
People spend around 70% to 80% of their lives indoors, whether at home, work, school, hospitals or shopping centres (1). That means the spaces we spend time in are not just buildings. They actively influence how we feel, think, work and recover.
For years, businesses have focused heavily on reducing waste, cutting energy costs and managing rental expenses. Yet people are usually the single biggest investment for any organisation. According to the International WELL Building Institute (IWBI), staff salaries and benefits account for around 90% of business operating costs, while energy costs make up only around 1% (2).
So perhaps the better question is not “How much do workplace wellness features cost?”, but rather “What is the cost of ignoring the environment our people work in?”
This is where WELL-inspired and biophilic design features come in.
What is biophilic design?
Biophilic design is the concept of reconnecting people with nature within built environments. It is not simply about decorating an office with a few pot plants. It is about creating spaces that feel calmer, healthier, more human and more restorative. It is “the practice of connecting people with the natural world within our private spaces, work spaces and communities.” (3)
The WELL Building Standard (4) also recognises the importance of nature connection within its Mind concept, encouraging projects to incorporate:
- plants and greenery
- water features
- nature views
- natural materials, textures, shapes and sounds
These features are not purely decorative. Research increasingly shows they influence concentration, stress levels, mood, productivity and even staff retention.
Why does it matter?
A study (2) by the University of Twente, VU Amsterdam and CBRE, “The Snowball Effect of Healthy Offices”, found:
- plants improved task performance by 10%
- circadian lighting improved performance by 12%
Another study from the IWBI “Investing in Health Pays Back” reports that:
- views to the outdoors improve worker performance by 6–12%
- employees in healthier workplaces report better mental wellbeing and productivity
- adding plants to a workplace increases productivity by 15%
Another interesting figure from the report found that biophilic design may generate the equivalent of an additional USD $36,471 per employee per year in productivity value in some workplace settings.
Suddenly that moss wall does not seem quite so decorative anymore.
Plants in the office
Plants are one of the simplest and most effective ways to introduce biophilic design into a workspace.
The Biophilic Design Playbook notes that greenery in workplaces is linked to:
- reduced stress
- improved concentration
- higher productivity
- stronger job satisfaction and retention
In offices with natural greenery and light, employees reported:
- 15% higher wellbeing
- 6% higher productivity compared with non nature-rich environments
And the good news is this does not have to mean turning your office into a tropical jungle.
Think
- snake plants
- ZZ plants
- pothos
- preserved moss walls
- hanging greenery
- planter dividers
Preserved moss wall art has become especially popular in receptions, meeting rooms and quiet spaces. It requires almost no maintenance, works well as acoustic treatment, and creates a strong visual connection to nature in darker rooms with limited windows.
Water features and calming spaces
Water features are another WELL-inspired element that can help create calmer and more restorative environments.
Think:
- glass water walls
- bubble walls
- small indoor fountains
- reflecting pools
- outdoor shared courtyard features
These spaces naturally encourage people to pause, have informal conversations, decompress after meetings, or simply step away from screens for a few minutes.
There is also evidence that natural sounds improve cognitive performance. The IWBI report references studies showing nature sounds improved cognitive performance by nearly 14%.
Of course, water features tend to require more maintenance and planning than plants. But when done properly, they often become a defining feature of a building and contribute strongly to workplace atmosphere.
Nature views
Real views of trees, greenery and daylight remain the gold standard. Unfortunately, many office workers today are lucky if they can see a carpark and half a cloud from their desk. That is why modern workplace design is becoming increasingly creative with nature simulation and biophilic elements.
Some emerging options include:
- rotating nature scenery screens
- “digital windows”
- projected moving nature imagery
- circadian lighting systems
- timber and stone finishes
- natural textures and earthy colour palettes
One of the most interesting concepts is material-based biophilic design, where the feeling of nature is created through textures, colours and materials rather than actual plants.
Timber finishes, soft lighting, stone textures, acoustic fabrics and warm earthy colours can make a workplace feel significantly calmer without adding a single pot plant.
Our own office experience
In our office, we have had plants throughout the workspace for more than two years now.
Yes, they require some effort. Someone needs to water them. A few dedicated team members occasionally feed them, trim them and remove old leaves.
But beyond that, it was mostly a one-off investment and a bit of team enthusiasm.
Now the office regularly receives compliments from neighbours, visitors and new staff members. The greenery gives the space warmth and personality. It genuinely changes how the office feels, and it would honestly feel strange to remove them now.
A healthier workplace is not a luxury
The idea that workplace wellness features are “nice to have” is slowly disappearing.
Research continues to show that healthier, more human-centred workplaces can support:
- better concentration
- lower stress
- stronger employee engagement
- improved satisfaction
- reduced absenteeism
- better retention
- higher productivity
Or as the Biophilic Design Playbook puts it:
“Biophilic design creates welcoming spaces that draw us in and offers us the connection we instinctively need.” In a world where we spend most of their lives indoors, that connection matters more than ever.
References:
(1) Toward Regenerative Sustainability: A Passive Design Comfort Assessment Method of Indoor Environment
(2) Investing in Health Pays Back | IWBI
(3) Outside In, The Biophilic Design Playbook
