A study on the physical and psychological effects of indoor plants in the workplace

Abstract

Indoor plants not only improve the physical environment but also offer significant psychological benefits. Based on this importance, a randomized study was conducted with academic and administrative staff working at Zonguldak Bülent Ecevit University, Çaycuma Vocational School, to examine the effects of indoor plants on individuals' physical health and psychological state. The study involved 11 participants. Data collected from the participants were analyzed using SPSS 22. The results indicated that issues such as headaches, difficulty concentrating, and eye itching or burning were not dependent on the presence of plants in the work environment. However, symptoms including a feeling of heaviness in the head, nausea/dizziness, nasal irritation, congestion and discharge, hoarseness, dry throat, coughing, facial skin dryness or redness, scalp or ear itching, and dryness or itching of the hands were associated with the presence or absence of plants. When the average severity of these problems was compared between environments with and without plants, it was observed that working in a plant-rich environment reduced these issues. Therefore, it can be concluded that indoor plants contribute to reducing physical and psychological problems in the workplace.