Greenspace as Workplace: Benefits, Challenges and Essentialities in the Physical Environment

Victoria Linn Lygum (), Katia Dupret, Peter Bentsen, Dorthe Djernis, Sidse Grangaard, Yun Ladegaard and Charlotte Petersson Troije
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Victoria Linn Lygum: Department of the Built Environment, The Faculty of Engineering and Science, Aalborg University, 2450 Copenhagen, Denmark
Katia Dupret: Research Centre for Social Entrepreneurship and Sustainability, Department of People and Technology, Roskilde University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
Peter Bentsen: Center for Clinical Research and Prevention, Copenhagen University Hospital-Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg, 2000 Frederiksberg, Denmark
Dorthe Djernis: The Foundation for Mental Health, 2500 Valby, Denmark
Sidse Grangaard: Department of the Built Environment, The Faculty of Engineering and Science, Aalborg University, 2450 Copenhagen, Denmark
Yun Ladegaard: The Foundation for Mental Health, 2500 Valby, Denmark
Charlotte Petersson Troije: Department of Urban Studies, The Faculty of Culture and Society, Malmö University, 20506 Malmö, Sweden

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 17, 1-19

Abstract: There is a scarcity of knowledge regarding the potential benefits of human–nature contact within the context of working life. Even more limited is the research that focuses on working outdoors and the setting in which it takes place. This study aimed to obtain insight into key aspects of the physical environment relevant for the experienced benefits and challenges of workers exploring office work outdoors. We conducted interviews with key informants as well as photo registration and mapping of the different green spaces in the environments of six small or medium-sized workplaces. The information gathered was used as background knowledge for exploratory qualitative interviews, which were conducted while walking in natural settings chosen by the interviewees. With a landscape architectural perspective and an inductive approach, we explored employees’ experiences of bringing office work outdoors. The following themes emerged: ‘Simplicity,’ ‘Safeness’, ‘Comfort’, and ‘Contact with Nature’ were experienced as key aspects in relation to the physical environment, whereas ‘Sociality’, ‘Well-being’, and ‘Functioning’ stood out as the main benefits and, ‘Digital dependency’ and ‘Illegitimacy’ as challenges to overcome. Based on the identification of potential benefits and their prerequisites, we propose implications for practice and research that can be useful when focusing on bringing office work outdoors.

Keywords: outdoor office work; employee wellbeing; landscape architecture; green outdoor environments; nature; restorative environments; work life balance; workplace (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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