Why Your Employees Need Nature: What the Latest Research Reveals About Wellbeing, Productivity, and Peace of Mind

Welcome to our research roundup exploring some of the most compelling findings about how nature exposure transforms the daily experience of office workers. As organisations worldwide grapple with rising stress levels, burnout, and employee disengagement, scientists are uncovering powerful evidence that the solution may lie not in more complex workplace interventions, but in something beautifully simple: reconnecting with the natural world.

At Nature in Mind, we've witnessed these transformations firsthand through our forest bathing experiences and corporate wellness programmes in Epping Forest. Now, an expanding body of research confirms what we've long observed—that nature connection isn't just beneficial for employee wellbeing; it's transformational for organisational performance, mental health, and sustainability goals.

The Scale of the Challenge: Why This Matters Now

The workplace stress crisis has reached alarming proportions. Research reveals that chronic stress and burnout are key health issues for office workers that may contribute to a myriad of poor health outcomes (Perrins et al., 2021). Recent surveys highlight concerning trends: 80% of US full-time employees experience productivity anxiety, with over one-third feeling it multiple times a week (Workhuman survey), whilst 92% of workers now prioritise emotional and psychological wellbeing in their workplace (American Psychological Association, 2023). The World Health Organisation has recognised burnout as a work-specific chronic stress phenomenon, officially classifying it as an occupational disease in 2021.

Your employees probably spend around 40 hours per week predominantly indoors, mostly at desks and workstations. Research reveals this indoor-centric approach exacts a measurable toll on both mental and physical health, with studies showing increased cortisol levels, elevated blood pressure, and heightened sympathetic nervous system activity amongst office workers—the biological markers of chronic stress.

But here's where the story becomes hopeful: exposure to natural elements positively impacts stress reduction and promotes relaxation, with even brief 10-minute nature breaks proving more effective at alleviating fatigue and increasing energy whilst improving productivity (Ríos-Rodríguez et al., 2023).

The Finnish Discovery: Nature Exposure Profiles That Predict Success

A comprehensive study of 783 employees revealed distinct "nature exposure profiles" and their profound impact on occupational wellbeing. Those with high exposure to nature—experiencing natural environments almost daily during their workday—reported the lowest burnout across all dimensions and the highest work engagement (Hyvönen et al., 2018).

This finding challenges conventional wisdom about office productivity. The research suggests that typical office workers could gain significant boosts to their occupational wellbeing by having access to more nature exposure during their workday. It's not about working less efficiently—it's about working more sustainably.

When Tech Giants Lead the Way: Lessons from Amazon's Nature Experiment

Recognising the potential of workplace nature connection, Amazon constructed multistorey nature conservatories called "the Spheres" at their Seattle headquarters—2 acres of plant-filled spaces with over 40,000 plants for work and relaxation. Researchers studying Amazon employees found that contact with more natural outdoor environments was significantly associated with reduced state anxiety, after adjusting for activity type, location, and participants' trait levels of nature relatedness (Perrins et al., 2021).

The study revealed something particularly intriguing: outdoor natural environments had stronger associations with wellbeing benefits compared to indoor natural environments, suggesting that whilst indoor plants are beneficial, there's something uniquely powerful about authentic outdoor nature connection.

Game-Changing Findings: What 664 Employees Taught Us About Long-Term Wellbeing

One of the most compelling longitudinal studies followed 664 employees across two years, tracking their wellbeing trajectories and nature exposure. The researchers discovered something remarkable: employees who engaged in more frequent physical activity in natural surroundings during free time significantly increased their odds of belonging to long-term "beneficial" wellbeing groups (Korpela et al., 2017).

Even more fascinating, those who decreased their use of home gardens showed reduced odds of sustained wellbeing, suggesting there's a threshold below which our connection to nature begins to fray.

This mirrors what we witness in our 12-month Taking Root Programme—regular nature immersion creates lasting change by allowing healing effects to compound over time, rather than relying on one-off interventions.

The Global Picture: From Seattle to India, Nature Works

A powerful international study of 444 employees across the United States and India found that natural elements and sunlight exposure related positively to job satisfaction and organisational commitment, whilst negatively impacting depressed mood and anxiety (An et al., 2016).

More remarkably, natural elements buffered the relationship between role stressors and mental health outcomes—essentially providing a protective effect against workplace stress.

The physiological evidence supports these findings. Even brief interventions show measurable impact: a four-week study with 153 knowledge workers found that park walks during lunch breaks produced more pronounced blood pressure decreases (effect size d = .51–.58) compared to indoor relaxation or control groups (de Bloom et al., 2017).

Breaking Down the Barriers: Why Good Intentions Aren't Enough

Despite overwhelming evidence, barriers persist to workplace nature integration. Research identifies perceived lack of time and fear that going outside during work may be frowned upon as primary obstacles (Perrins et al., 2021). This precisely highlights why organisational culture change is essential—making nature connection not just acceptable, but celebrated within your workplace.

The research reveals that multisensory nature experiences are most effective for stress reduction, with visual and multisensory biophilic conditions showing measurable reduction in sympathetic nervous system activity (Ríos-Rodríguez et al., 2023).

This validates approaches like our employee wellbeing experiences and nature-connected away days, which engage all the senses through guided experiences in Epping Forest's ancient woodland.

The Future is Outside: Outdoor Offices and Beyond

Forward-thinking research into outdoor office work reveals that more than 50% of those conducting office-like tasks would like to work partly outdoors if accepted by their organisation (Söderlund et al., 2023). This isn't just wishful thinking—it's an emerging trend that aligns with evidence supporting multiple pathways to nature connection.

For organisations not ready for outdoor offices, research supports incremental approaches. Indoor nature contact significantly associates with lower job stress, subjective health complaints, and reduced sick leave (Ríos-Rodríguez et al., 2023). Even finishes in natural materials like wood or stone can effectively reduce stress whilst being cost-effective.

The Sustainability Sweet Spot: Uniting People and Planet

Perhaps most importantly for forward-thinking leaders, research reveals that nature-connected people report increased pro-nature values and conservation behaviours. This creates a powerful synergy: as employees' wellbeing flourishes through nature connection, so does their commitment to organisational sustainability goals.

This insight forms the foundation of our Nature-Connected Carbon Literacy Training, which intertwines essential carbon knowledge with soul-stirring forest experiences to create an unbreakable drive towards net-zero objectives.

From Research to Reality: Your Implementation Roadmap

The converging evidence provides clear guidance for implementation:

Timing and Frequency: 10-minute minimum duration for effective nature breaks, with regular, frequent exposure is the most beneficial, alongside less frequent, longer, intensive sessions.

Engagement Strategy: Multi-sensory engagement produces maximum impact—going beyond simply viewing nature to actively engaging with natural environments through guided experiences.

Cultural Integration: Success requires both individual and organisational strategies working in harmony, creating cultures that celebrate rather than tolerate nature connection.

Overcoming Barriers: Provide easily accessible indoor and outdoor nature spaces, encourage and normalise nature breaks during work hours, and implement both direct and indirect nature contact strategies.

The Evidence Is Clear: Nature Connection as Business Infrastructure

The research creates an irresistible case: nature connection isn't a nice-to-have wellness perk—it's essential infrastructure for thriving in today's complex work environment. Whether through structured outdoor team experiences, nature-integrated office design, or comprehensive programmes that transform organisational culture, the pathways to transformation are scientifically grounded and readily available.

At Nature in Mind, we translate this compelling research into transformative experiences.

Our programmes—from employee wellbeing experiences and transformative away days to our comprehensive 12-month Taking Root Programme—are designed for London organisations ready to unite employee wellbeing with sustainability goals through evidence-based nature connection.

The research is compelling. The solutions exist. The only question remaining is: are you ready to give your employees what the science says they need to thrive?

Ready to explore how nature connection can transform your organisation? Contact us to discuss bespoke programmes that unite employee wellbeing with sustainability goals. Based in London's ancient Epping Forest, we're perfectly positioned to bring the healing power of nature to your team.

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References:

An, M., Colarelli, S.M., O'Brien, K., & Boyajian, M.E. (2016). Why We Need More Nature at Work: Effects of Natural Elements and Sunlight on Employee Mental Health and Work Attitudes. PLOS ONE, 11(5), e0155614.

de Bloom, J., Kinnunen, U., & Korpela, K. (2017). The Effects of Relaxation Exercises and Park Walks During Workplace Lunch Breaks on Physiological Recovery. Scandinavian Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 2(1), 4.

Hyvönen, K., Rantala, T., Korhonen, A., Mustikkamäki, N., Takala, M., & Kinnunen, U. (2018). Nature exposure and its effects on immune system functioning: a systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 754.

Korpela, K., Nummi, T., Lipiäinen, L., De Bloom, J., Sianoja, M., Pasanen, T., & Kinnunen, U. (2017). Nature exposure predicts well-being trajectory groups among employees across two years. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 52, 81-91.

Perrins, S.P., Varanasi, U., Seto, E., & Bratman, G.N. (2021). Nature at work: The effects of day-to-day nature contact on workers' stress and psychological well-being. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 66, 127404.

Ríos-Rodríguez, M.L., Testa Moreno, M., & Moreno-Jiménez, P. (2023). Nature in the Office: A Systematic Review of Nature Elements and Their Effects on Worker Stress Response. Healthcare, 11(21), 2838.

Söderlund, C., de la Fuente Suárez, L.A., Tillander, A., Toivanen, S., & Bälter, K. (2023). The outdoor office: a pilot study of environmental qualities, experiences of office workers, and work-related well-being. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1214338.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (1999). Stress at Work. NIOSH Publication No. 99-101. Cincinnati, OH: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.