A commercial landscape facelift may be just what your employees need to be happier and more productive. There’s no denying that time spent in nature is good for people. Whether you have a tiny outdoor space or enough to create a park-like experience, here are commercial landscaping ideas that create gathering spaces for employees in Elmhurst, IL.
Outdoor living is a huge trend in residential design. But it’s just as important in commercial properties where employees, visitors, and the community will benefit from an attractive and user-friendly landscape.
Begin by incorporating gathering spaces. Giving employees a place to relax on their lunch break is a much-appreciated gesture. Even meetings can take on a new energy when they take place outdoors!
The simplest approach can include an attractive paver walkway that meanders through the landscape to a paver patio with a few tables and chairs. Surround the space with shade trees and colorful plantings for a serene atmosphere.
If you have the space, creating an experiential landscape will wow employees and visitors alike. An experiential landscape invites outdoor activity such as walking. A paver walkway around the perimeter gives people a chance to get their blood pumping and energize themselves. You’ll notice a reduction in the “afternoon sleepies” that threaten to overcome many people after lunch if they haven’t had any physical movement. Having the chance to get a little exercise mid-day translates into more focus, a better attitude, more productivity, and therefore greater profits!
Another way to experience a landscape is to slow down and savor it. Install a variety of plants to keep the space visually stimulating. Encourage people to focus on the landscape instead of their worries. Consider installing a few different planting zones that people can walk through on the way to the gathering space.
To encourage people to use the outdoor space, make sure that it is user-friendly. A pergola will provide shade while employees enjoy lunch outdoors; patio heaters keep the space comfortable on chilly days; and permanent seating creates multiple areas for conversation or solitude.
For the ultimate in employee gathering spaces, just add water. A paver patio with comfortable lounge chairs and side tables or a few bistro tables, a soothing water feature to mask traffic sounds, lush plantings, and a privacy fence or wall create a cozy space to unplug for a while.
Don’t forget the need for solitude! Sometimes, people just need a few minutes to do nothing and think about nothing. A simple bench in a small Japanese-style zen garden won’t invite people to gather, but it will bring people outdoors when they need some time alone.
A huge trend in landscaping is sustainability. Native plants, water-wise landscaping, and water features that recycle water will let people know that you care not only about your outdoor space and employees, but the community and the environment as well. Native plants require less water, less fertilizer, and less pest control. Choosing native plants for your commercial landscape makes the outdoor environment more user-friendly for people who are sensitive to chemicals or have seasonal allergies.
Even if you have only a tiny outdoor space, a picnic table under a pergola and a few trellises with climbing vines will give people a comfortable space to gather outdoors.
These people-friendly landscape upgrades encourage employees to spend more time outdoors, for less stress, greater focus, better moods, and greater job satisfaction. Give us a call today. We can help you design and maintain the ideal employee-friendly landscape!
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