With the demand on work forces these days to be constantly alert, forward thinking, flexible, and hardworking, it’s easy to get caught up in the whirlwind of business. More and more are we seeing the long term impact of this ‘fast-living’ approach on ourselves as business owners, our employees, and even our loved ones. It is now coming to our attention that work related stress could lead to mental illness. Poor mental health and stress is now one of the most common reasons for staff absence. How did we get here? As employers we have a duty of care to our employees, noticing when it’s time to slow down and take a break. Not only for the health of the business, but more importantly the health of our colleagues. We are all human after all! Tired, stressed and depressed employees should not be the building blocks of a successful business.
Not to worry – there’s an answer to all this! Harvard thinks that “adding a little wilderness to your corporate offices may just be the smartest move you can do this year”. Read the full article here.
Guided Forest Bathing walks have been shown to improve health and well-being by reducing stress, inspiring creativity and improving problem solving, as well as helping to build strong connections.
If you are unable to take your work and employees outside regularly, you might consider ‘greening’ your workplace indoors. There is strong evidence that work spaces with indoor plants lower stress levels and negative feelings in employees by between 30 – 60% in just 3 months of exposure. Work spaces without indoor plant exposure were shown to increase stress levels and negativity in employees by 20 – 40%, also measured within a 3 month period. What an incredible difference bringing nature inside can make!
For tailored Forest Therapy programmes for your business, get in touch with Caitlin to discuss your needs or for more information at hello@forest-therapy-scotland.com