Bringing nature into the workplace

Tendai Chara

THIS week, we are profiling the perennially lush and beautifully manicured NOCZIM House balcony garden.

Located on Leopold Takawira Street in downtown Harare, NOCZIM House is home to both the National Oil Infrastructure Company of Zimbabwe and Petrotrade, a State-owned petroleum company.

The NOCZIM House balcony garden, which is clearly visible from afar, boasts well-trimmed hedges and lawns. It is also home to a variety of flowers.

Shrubs and different varieties of climbers adorn this home-like setup.

Fruit trees such as mango and guava give the balcony a tiny resemblance of the biblical Garden of Eden.

According to Miss Nelia Neshamba — the Safety, Health, Environment and Quality assistant at NOCZIM House — the balcony garden is one of the most preferred places.

“The garden is the most preferred place in this building. Workers want to be in this garden during lunch and tea time.

“They are naturally drawn there by the lush greenery and refreshing air,” she said.

Miss Neshamba added that the setting up of the garden was not by accident.

“This garden was established as part of our worker wellness strategy. Research has shown that bringing nature into the workplace can help reduce stress and increase creativity and focus,” she said.

“Greening a building allows an employee to have an area to go to, to refresh their minds and relax.

“Research has also shown that plants have a relaxing effect on the mind of a human being.”

Greening, according to Miss Neshamba, is a proven way of reducing air pollution.

“Greening buildings also helps reduce the carbon footprint in our city.

“When we put plants on the buildings, those plants absorb carbon dioxide. This means that we are reducing air pollution,” Miss Neshamba said.

Apart from the balcony garden, Petrotrade also plants trees at its service stations.

“As for our service stations, we sell fuel and one of the major issues of a service station is that we pollute the environment.

“When we green our service stations, this is a way of mitigating air pollution. Those plants help prevent underground water contamination,” added Miss Neshamba.

She said greening gives an aesthetic value to a building as greened buildings are more desirable to look at than those that are not.

She urged companies, especially those that produce high air pollution output to green up.

“Like I said before, greening our buildings reduces air pollution and also improves the mental health of workers.

“Every company should seriously consider greening,” the environmental expert said.

Towns and cities globally are going green to adapt to climate change.

Green roofs are also known to provide vital wildlife habitat, which generally makes a place fascinating.

The “Zimpapers Green Up Campaign” is an initiative aimed at re-greening city rooftops and road verges in and around Harare.

The Sunday Mail Society will run weekly articles profiling organisations that are greening up their environments, with those that excel set to receive awards.

A professional adjudication panel will select the winners.