COMPANY bosses are being urged to look at the benefits of workplace gardens as a means of improving employees' wellbeing and
morale. More than two dozen allotments on the Stormont estate in east Belfast are being used to showcase the 'Growing Together' initiative, which recently received a ministerial endorsement.
Alison Sheffield is business partnerships coordinator for the Big Lottery-funded programme, which is delivered at Stormont by the
Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens. She says the programme’s aim is to become self-sustaining.
“There’s a growing body of research suggests that gardening can reduce stress levels, provide beneficial physical exercise and generate satisfaction when the end results are achieved by growing your own food, as well as helping improve diets,” says Alison.
“Workplace growing also helps colleagues to socialise away from their desks and encourages learning new skills.”
The scheme at Stormont is the first of its kind in the north and there are 26 plots growing a variety of fruit and veg, all tended by civil servants who work on the estate. Such is the success of the initiative, it is hoped that other employers will see the benefits to staff health, wellbeing and productivity and start their own workplace growing schemes.
“We want to encourage employers to seriously consider the tangible benefits of creating a growing space like this but while many them of love the idea they are not always sure how to go about it – hence the need for good role models like Stormont,” says Alison.
The benefits, she says, are numerous and may even help reduce the £30.8 million it’s estimated it costs Northern Ireland every year in lost
productivity due to staff absense.
“The primary benefit for employers is the wellbeing impact on staff – and sometimes local people if they are able to use the spaces as
well,” says Alison.
“Growing vegetables also helps employees improve their diet. There are also environmental and aesthetic benefits in terms of how the workplace looks and its impact on biodiversity.”
Alison says companies need to think about how they could tailor the 'Growing Together' initiative to fit their their particular corporate culture.
"It could be that some workplaces don't have space to have their own gardens, could they partner with established community gardens to provide regular volunteers, materials, contacts?" she says.
"Facilities management firms are exploring it as a way to add value to their sites and to improve their biodiversity, visual appeal and as an offer to employees and tenants."
One successful example she points to are rooftop allotments, with bees and chickens at the Printworks in Manchester that are looked after by Hard Rock Café staff.
Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir’s department manages the Stormont allotments and it seems he’s a big fan of Growing Together.
“These allotments mean much more than just green spaces to staff who have taken on tending the plots in their own time,” the Sinn Féin minister said.
“Many have experienced some form of long-term absence and found it challenging to return to work but through working on the allotments, they have found a way to reduce their stress.
Mr Ó Muilleoir said stress can be a major factor in sickness absence, so any initiative that helps staff and encourages people back to work must be applauded and supported.
"I would encourage all employers to look for ways to open up their workplaces and provide green work spaces for their employees.”
