This email is about my investigation of the claims made by Enviro-Prod that its products could help improve employee productivity in your organisation. Granted, this is a claim that should be properly investigated, as described by Turner (2015) who emphasises the need for understanding the logic and science behind such assertions. For example, he cautions us against believing in horoscopes, astrology, and homoeopathy because of the lack of supporting scientific evidence (Turner 2015).
Using the same reasoning, I undertook an analysis to evaluate the assertions of Enviro-Pod. Based on a comprehensive review of its claims, I would like to bring to your attention the fact that there is enough scientific evidence to support the company’s claim that its products could improve your organisation’s productivity. Please review the evidence we have gathered below.
Relieves Employee Stress
Stress could significantly impede employee productivity. It distracts them from undertaking their core tasks because they may be preoccupied with other issues that affect other aspects of their lives. Similarly, it is common to find that workplace issues may add to an employee’s stress level. Here, issues of overworking, complex tasks, and late submissions of work may arise. We have found that adding natural attributes to the workplace environment could help alleviate some of these problems because an abundance of literature explains the relationship between human productivity and their environments (Souter-Brown 2014; Stevens 2015).
Most of these studies show that natural environments could decrease work-related stress. Indeed, as highlighted by Ewert, Mitten and Overholt (2014), what people see, hear or experience from their work environments often affect their nervous, endocrine and immune systems, in ways that would affect their stress levels as well. An unpleasant environment can make the employees feel anxious, sad, or helpless, thereby affecting their productivity in the end (Souter-Brown 2014). Comparatively, pleasant environments could make employees “feel at home” and similarly encourage them to be more willing to engage in organisational activities (Souter-Brown 2014).
Enviro-Pod could help to create this pleasant environment because its products have the potential to create the illusion of working in a natural environment (Ewert, Mitten and Overholt 2014). Souter-Brown (2014) supports this assertion by saying that human wellbeing depends on nature because it supports human growth and desires. Similarly, living in natural environments has been associated with a reduction in anger and fear (Stevens 2015).
Collectively, these factors are bound to improve employee health by boosting their physical wellbeing and reducing their blood pressure (Souter-Brown 2014). If I bring this analysis to the context of our review, I have gathered evidence from the installation of plants in schools and offices, which have shown that they reduce stress and anxiety among students and employees alike (Ewert, Mitten and Overholt 2014). This finding shows that Enviro-Prod could create a conducive environment for your employees to work in, thereby boosting organisational productivity.
Improved Employee Concentration
My analysis has shown that Enviro-Prod products could also help to improve the concentration of your employees. Stevens (2015) affirms this fact when he says that the natural environment can restore people’s ability to concentrate on their work. The researcher says that this effect is so strong that a slight infusion of nature in the workplace environment could bring positive effects on people’s ability to concentrate on their work (Stevens 2015).
This attribute comes from the restorative characteristic of nature. In some studies, researchers have pointed out that employees who work in natural surroundings are better at proofreading compared to those who work in other settings (Ewert, Mitten and Overholt 2014). Some researchers have gone a step further and said that companies, which offer their employees a view of nature through windows, are bound to reap the same benefit (Souter-Brown 2014).
Stevens (2015) supports this fact by saying that although many cities are increasingly urbanizing, our human senses are still designed to respond well to the natural environment. The author also says that the natural environment tends to have a restorative effect on human beings, which manifests by putting people in a state of emotional wellness, which is good for their productivity (Stevens 2015).
Although the urban environment erodes the allure of the natural environment, Stevens (2015) says that if constructed objects mimic the natural environment, they could have a positive effect on people. Additionally, he says it is important to introduce natural attributes to the living environment to improve human wellbeing (Stevens 2015). This should be done because most people do not often pay attention to their environment, unless something happens to it. This assertion stems from the general view that most people think they are distinct from their environments, which is often not the case (Stevens 2015).
Thus, based on the relationship between high levels of employee concentration and the natural environment, your organisation could enjoy improved productivity from the purchase of Enviro-Prod products because they offer the same natural settings described in the aforementioned studies. Thus, your employees could feel rejuvenated and ready to work when they are in an environment that feels natural. Doing so could also take their minds away from conventional distractions, such as computer games and social media sites, which are common in today’s workplaces.
Lower Risk of Depression
Depression is often associated with unproductive employees who are unable to cope with some of their life or work challenges. The University of Minnesota (2016) says that nature provides the balance an employee needs to work efficiently because closed and concrete environments could be stressful and suffocating, thereby increasing the risk of depression. Furthermore, studies have shown that most workplace structures, such as work cubicles and offices, create a “confining feel,” which may cause some employees to feel trapped and depressed about their working conditions (Souter-Brown 2014).
A natural environment could offer the liberating feeling they need to get out of this “mental cage.” Relative to this assertion, Stevens (2015) posits that natural environments are of utmost importance in today’s rapidly urbanising society because they could improve people’s mental health and lower their risk of depression. Relative to this assertion, Souter-Brown (2014) contends that nature would help employees to boost their immune systems, thereby allowing them to enjoy better mental health states, characterised by improved short-term memory, and enhanced vision and concentration at work.
Besides the affirmation of the positive effect of nature on human productivity, I have also found evidence that demonstrates the natural environment has more positive effects on human beings, included (but not limited to) an increased sense of safety, less aggressive tendencies, and lower crime rates (Stevens 2015).
Summary
Based on my findings, there is sufficient evidence to show that Enviro-Prod products would increase employee productivity in your organisation. In this email, I have also argued that the claims made by the company’s CEO, Hayley Skelton, are factual and stem from a broad body of scientific evidence that has demonstrated the positive effects of nature on people’s mental health and workplace productivity.
I am confident in my assertion because if we use Turner’s (2015) framework to evaluate the claims made in this email, we would arrive at the same conclusion. He says we need to consider different elements of analysis to qualify a claim for a fact. One of them is that the evidence gathered needs to be obtained from scientific or academic sources (Turner 2015). Another one is that the source of the information should not be compromised or biased. Lastly, he says the source of information should be trustworthy (Turner 2015). My findings have met all the above evaluation criteria. Therefore, I recommend that you should consider purchasing this product.
Works Cited
Ewert, A, Mitten, D and Overholt, J. (2014) Natural environments and human health, CABI, New York.
Souter-Brown, G. (2014) Landscape and urban design for health and well-being: using healing, sensory and therapeutic gardens, Routledge, London.
Stevens, P. (2015) ‘Week 14: the urban world’, The Open University. Web.
Turner, J. (2015) ‘Week 20: extraordinary claims and extraordinary beliefs’, The Open University. Web.
University of Minnesota. (2016) ‘How does nature impact our wellbeing,’ Taking Charge. Web.