The days of treating workplace design as an afterthought are officially over. Recent global research reveals that strategic workplace improvements deliver measurable returns of 15-100% in productivity gains, fundamentally changing how we think about office environments.
The Air You Breathe Affects How You Think
Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (https://hsph.harvard.edu/) tracked over 300 office workers across six countries and found something remarkable: a 61% improvement in cognitive performance when employees transitioned from standard to “green condition” office environments.
“Poor indoor air quality affects health and productivity significantly more than we previously understood,” explains Harvard researcher Jose Guillermo Cedeño Laurent. This isn’t just about comfort—it’s about your brain’s ability to function at full capacity.
Natural Light - The Ultimate Productivity Hack
Want to know what employees value most? Natural light access ranks as the #1 workplace attribute people desire, and for good reason. Studies show that natural light can typically deliver 18% in productivity improvements and 20% fewer sick days.
The psychological effects are equally compelling. Research from the Journal of Environmental Psychology demonstrates that employees with access to natural light report significantly higher job satisfaction and lower stress levels than those working under artificial lighting alone.
Plants Aren't Just Pretty - They have real ROI
Greenery design – integrating natural elements, such as plants, into workplaces can generate 15% higher wellbeing levels and a 6% increase in productivity. A recent study by the University of Minnesota found that green or plant-based interior design resulted in a 12.98% productivity gain among employees over 12 months.
However, what makes this data powerful is that these improvements are sustained over time. 86-97% of participants maintained these productivity gains over 24 months, proving that workplace design investments create lasting competitive advantages.
The Real Cost of Getting It Wrong
The financial implications are staggering. Disengaged employees cost the global economy an estimated $438 billion annually, while poor workplace design contributes significantly to this engagement crisis. Absenteeism alone costs organisations $225.8 billion annually in productivity losses.
At the same time, organisations investing in employee-centric environments report significant savings through reduced turnover alone. Gensler’s 2025 Global Workplace Survey found that employees in great workplaces are three times more likely to stay with their organisations. Download the full report here: https://www.gensler.com/gri/global-workplace-survey-2025
Small Changes, Big Impact
The beauty of workplace design improvements is that you don’t need a complete renovation to see results. Companies implementing comprehensive workplace improvements achieve 39% reductions in absenteeism—often through relatively simple interventions like improved air quality, strategic plant placement, and better lighting design.
As Janet Pogue McLaurin, Global Director of Workplace Research at Gensler, puts it: “The best workplaces don’t just support work—they reflect what people value most. The most effective spaces are those that adapt to people—not the other way around.”
The Bottom Line
Workplace design is no longer about aesthetics—it’s about business strategy. With talent retention becoming increasingly challenging and employee wellbeing taking centre stage, the physical environment where your team spends a third of their lives directly impacts your company’s success.
The research is clear: better workplaces create better business outcomes. The question isn’t whether you can afford to invest in workplace design—it’s whether you can afford not to.
Ready to transform your workplace? Contact No More Boring at hello@nomoreboring.co.nz or visit our online showroom at www.nomoreboring.co.nz to discover how strategic design improvements can drive measurable results for your business.
"The research is clear: better workplaces create better business outcomes. The question isn’t whether you can afford to invest in workplace design—it’s whether you can afford not to."
