研究显示 办公场所中的自然因素可以提升工作效率

 　　For many of us, our physical workplace can be dark, depressing, bland¹ and even dysfunctional.

　　对我们中的很多人而言，我们的工作场所可能是阴暗、令人沮丧、乏味甚至功能失常的。

　　Windowless cubicle² farms and airless open-plan floors can kill motivation and take a toll³ on worker performance, possibly even their health.

　　没有窗户的小隔间和不透气的开放式楼层，足以抹杀工作动力，极大地损害员工的工作表现，甚至是他们的健康。

　　But a refreshing⁴ trend is taking root in workplace design: nature.

　　但是一种耳目一新的趋势，正在办公室设计中萌芽：自然。

　　There's a growing body of evidence showing that workplaces that incorporate natural elements, such as plants, light, colours and shapes, have noticeable — and measurable — benefits for both companies and their employees.

　　越来越多的证据表明，包含植物、光、颜色和形状等自然元素的工作场所对公司及其员工都有明显并且可衡量的益处。

　　The positive effects touch on everything from worker happiness and creativity to increased productivity, decreased absenteeism, better staff retention⁵, improved profits, and the improved ability to attract the best workers.

　　这些积极的影响包罗万象，从员工幸福感、创造力到增加生产效率；减少矿工；提高员工保留率；改善利润以及提高吸引最佳员工的能力。

　　研究显示 办公场所中的自然因素可以提升工作效率

　　It's all based on the principle of biophilia — the instinctive⁶ affinity⁷ that humans have with the natural world and other living systems. And it's easier to achieve at the office than you'd think.

　　这基于亲生命性的原则--人类和自然世界以及其他生命系统拥有本能的亲和力。这种本能在办公室里比你想象的容易实现。

　　"People just don't like fluorescent⁸ lights in a building with no plants, no views, no natural lighting," says Sir Cary Cooper CBE, professor of organisational psychology⁹ and health at Lancaster University in the UK and co-founder of consultancy Robertson-Cooper.

　　英国兰卡斯特大学组织心理学和健康教授、Robertson-Cooper咨询公司联合创始人库伯先生表示："人们只是不喜欢在没有植物，没有风景和没有自然光的建筑里使用荧光灯罢了。"

　　He led a 2015 study on the impact of biophilia in the workplace that surveyed 7,600 workers in 16 countries and found that even small nature-inspired changes can have a dramatic impact.

　　2015年时，他领导了一项关于工作场所亲生命性影响的研究，这项研究调查了16个国家的7600名工人，研究发现，即便是很小的环境变化也能带来巨大的影响。

　　Respondents to the Human Spaces Global Report who worked in environments with natural elements reported a 15% higher level of well-being¹⁰, a 6% higher level of productivity and a 15% higher level of creativity.

　　人类空间全球报告发现，在拥有自然因素的环境中工作的受访者，幸福水平要高出15%，生产效率高出6%，创造力高出15%。

　　One third of respondents said the design of an office would affect their decision to work for a company. Even so, 58% said there were no live plants at their workplace and 47% reported having no natural light.

　　三分之一的受访者表示，办公室的设计会影响他们是否为公司工作的决定。即便如此，58%的人称他们的工作场所里没有植物，47%的人的工作场所没有自然光线。

　　An earlier, 2014 study by Cardiff University in Wales also showed that plants in the office make people happier and more productive. But more research is needed into biophilia, experts say.

　　威尔士卡迪夫大学的一项早期研究也显示，办公室的植物让人们更快乐、效率更高。但是专家表示，这仍需要进行更多研究。

1 bland   

adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的

参考例句：

• He eats bland food because of his stomach trouble.他因胃病而吃清淡的食物。
• This soup is too bland for me.这汤我喝起来偏淡。

2 cubicle   

n.大房间中隔出的小室

参考例句：

• She studies in a cubicle in the school library.她在学校图书馆的小自习室里学习。
• A technical sergeant hunches in a cubicle.一位技术军士在一间小屋里弯腰坐着。

3 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

4 refreshing   

adj.使精神振作的，使人清爽的，使人喜欢的

参考例句：

• I find it'so refreshing to work with young people in this department.我发现和这一部门的青年一起工作令人精神振奋。
• The water was cold and wonderfully refreshing.水很涼，特别解乏提神。

5 retention   

n.保留，保持，保持力，记忆力

参考例句：

• They advocate the retention of our nuclear power plants.他们主张保留我们的核电厂。
• His retention of energy at this hour is really surprising.人们惊叹他在这个时候还能保持如此旺盛的精力。

6 instinctive   

adj.(出于)本能的；直觉的；(出于)天性的

参考例句：

• He tried to conceal his instinctive revulsion at the idea.他试图饰盖自己对这一想法本能的厌恶。
• Animals have an instinctive fear of fire.动物本能地怕火。

7 affinity   

n.亲和力，密切关系

参考例句：

• I felt a great affinity with the people of the Highlands.我被苏格兰高地人民深深地吸引。
• It's important that you share an affinity with your husband.和丈夫有共同的爱好是十分重要的。

8 fluorescent   

adj.荧光的，发出荧光的

参考例句：

• They observed the deflections of the particles by allowing them to fall on a fluorescent screen.他们让粒子落在荧光屏上以观察他们的偏移。
• This fluorescent lighting certainly gives the food a peculiar color.这萤光灯当然增添了食物特别的色彩。

9 psychology   

n.心理，心理学，心理状态

参考例句：

• She has a background in child psychology.她受过儿童心理学的教育。
• He studied philosophy and psychology at Cambridge.他在剑桥大学学习哲学和心理学。

10 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。